New Pilocarpine + Diclofenac Drops for Presbyopia: How Eyesight Is Changing

Presbyopia — the age-related condition where the eyes lose ability to focus on near objects — has long been managed with reading glasses, bifocals, or surgical correction. But a recent study suggests a promising non-surgical alternative: eye drops combining pilocarpine (which increases lens flexibility) and diclofenac (an anti-inflammatory) used twice daily. Early results show that many participants improved their near vision significantly, with almost 84% of those using the higher concentration gaining three or more lines on the near vision chart.

These drops were well tolerated, though some reported mild side effects like dim or hazy vision shortly after instillation, slight irritation, or headaches. Vision improvement was noted as soon as one hour after the first use. While long-term data are still needed, this therapy may offer presbyopia patients an appealing option to reduce or avoid dependence on reading glasses or surgery.

What This Means for Patients

Convenience & Comfort: Using drops twice daily could be simpler than managing reading glasses or undergoing surgery.
Improved Near Vision: Especially helpful for tasks such as reading, using mobile devices, or other close work.
Reduced Invasiveness: For those who don’t want or can’t access surgical options, a topical therapy could fill a big gap.

Considerations & What’s Next

Effects are temporary; repeat dosing required.
Long-term safety, especially over years, remains to be confirmed.
Not all patients may be good candidates — individual eye health, presence of other eye conditions, and tolerability must be considered.
Larger, multi-center trials will help establish guidelines for use, ideal concentrations, and possible side effect profiles.