Liane Jazmine Saludo
Being able to read more lines on vision charts is already a huge step, which is why the new eye drops formulated by European eye surgeons can be seen as revolutionary as they will not just last you a hot hour—they will last you two meaningful years. If you were granted the chance to experience the magic of these eye drops, life would suddenly feel like one of Taylor Swift’s songs as it's brighter now.
The European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) heavily implies that their study, which they presented on September 14, may be a solution to presbyopia—a part of aging involving the natural, gradual loss of the eye’s ability to focus on nearby objects. Your family or friends may already be struggling with this as they face their middle-aged years—and it would be a flex for them to relate to Taylor’s lyric, “I can still see it all.”
Dr. Giovanni Benozzi from the Center for Advanced Research for Presbyopia stated that, “We conducted this research due to the significant unmet medical need in presbyopia management. Current solutions such as reading glasses or surgical interventions have limitations, including inconvenience, social discomfort, and potential risks or complications.” Once this solution becomes more accessible to all, maybe you would not want to think of anything else as an intervention for unclear vision. You’d set your eyes on these eye drops and say, “I don’t want to look at anything else now that I saw you.”
The research that was conducted encompassed trials with a total of 766 patients (373 women and 393 men,) and results showed that patients’ eyesight were improved within 1 hour. It was found that most of those involved in the trials had the ability to read more lines on the Jaeger chart—a vision chart used to test for visual acuity.
Visual acuity is the clarity or sharpness of vision. Aside from measuring the ability to identify various words and symbols—testing one’s visual acuity may be complicated, including the consideration of light reaching the retina with appropriate refraction.
Having clear or sharp vision was made possible through the eye drops combining pilocarpine, a key element to the eye drop’s composition, by possibly reducing the pupils’ size which helps us identify nearby objects—and diclofenac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that can serve as a pain reliever.
The ESCRS conducted trials for three groups, divided based on the concentration rate of pilocarpine: 1%, 2%, and 3%. The patients' vision was indeed improved for up to two years—and due to the diclofenac, the eye drops’ side effects were mild. In those two years, you will remember another song lyric, “Things will never be the same.” Everything is brighter than ever.
Dim vision was observed in 32% of the cases, headache in 3.8% of the cases, and lastly, eye irritation during instilling of eye drops in 3.7% of them.
“Importantly, this treatment is not intended to replace surgical interventions, but rather to serve as a valuable solution for patients who need safe, effective, and personalised alternatives and seek freedom from the inconvenience of eyewear. Eye care professionals now have an evidence-based pharmacological option that expands the spectrum of presbyopia care beyond glasses and surgery,” Dr. Benozzi stated.
No patients stopped their treatment as these eye drops are indeed special, making one realize that they now see daylight.
