Aging eyes may soon have their vision restored, thanks to new eye drops.

Good news for people who hate to wear reading glasses.

A new study released this month by the European Society of Cataract and Reflective Surgeons in Denmark showed that after taking eye drops that helps prevent longsightedness, the majority of participants were able to read additional lines on eye test charts.

Almost everyone develops presbyopia as they age; the condition makes it extremely difficult to read small print on a menu or focus on nearby objects. According to the American Optometric Association's Health Policy Institute, the condition is estimated to affect 128 million Americans, or about 90% of people older than 45.

In most cases, glasses or surgery can fix the problem, but not everyone can pay for surgery, and many people find wearing glasses is annoying.

What is presbyopia?

Presbyopia is the gradual deterioration of your eyes' ability to focus on close objects. It's a common, often irritating, part of aging. Usually starting in a person's early to mid-40s, presbyopia typically worsens until age 65, according to the American Optometric Association.

Presbyopia might make it difficult for your eyes to focus on objects directly in front of you. Current options to improve vision include corrective reading glasses, progressive lenses and surgical procedures.

Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them.

How presbyopia effects your eyes

Your eye uses the cornea and lens to isolate light reflected from objects and creates an image. The lens, which is the shape of an M&M candy, flexes more when the object is closer, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Because of a circular muscle that surrounds it, the lens can change form and is relatively flexible, unlike the cornea. Gazing at far-away objects causes the circular muscle to relax. The muscle contracts when you stare at anything close by, which causes the relatively elastic lens to bend and alter its focusing power.

Presbyopia causes the lens to become less flexible and elastic, which makes it harder for it to change shape and focus on nearby objects. Images will appear blurry as a result.

Innovative eye drops may reverse presbyopia

The eye drops described in the study contain a combination of two active agents: pilocarpine, a drug that constricts the pupils and contracts the ciliary muscle, a muscle controlling the eye's accommodation for seeing objects at varying distances; and diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that reduces inflammation and discomfort that pilocarpine usually causes.

Patients in the study were administered the drops twice a day, usually on waking and again about six hours later, with an optional third dose if symptoms recurred or additional visual comfort was needed. The group of patients (373 women and 393 men, average age 55) was divided into three groups to receive one of three eye drop formulations. Each formulation had a fixed dose of diclofenac, but concentrations of pilocarpine were 1%, 2% and 3%.

Dr. Giovanna Benozzi, director of the Center for Advanced Research for Presbyopia in Buenos Aires, Argentina, said in a news release: "It significantly reduces dependence on reading glasses, providing a convenient, noninvasive option for patients, although these eye drops may not eliminate the need for glasses in all individuals."

The eye drops strengthen a person's close-up vision for up to two years when taken regularly.

"Nearly all patients experienced positive improvements in near visual acuity, although the magnitude of the improvement depended on the status of their vision before treatment at baseline," Benozzi said.

What are the early signs of presbyopia?

Presbyopia often develops gradually, but there are small signs that become more noticeable after age 40, according to the National Institute of Health:

Blurry near vision: Text on phones, menus and books looks fuzzy.

Holding reading materials at a distance: To see better, you might need to hold the reading material away to focus.

Difficulty with fine print: It can be difficult to see text, especially in low light.

Eyestrain and fatigue: Your eyes may feel uncomfortable and sore.

Headaches: Frequent headaches may indicate presbyopia, especially after reading or other close-up work.

According to the Mayo Clinic, a thorough eye examination should be done at least every two years if you are ages 40 to 54, and then every year after that.

SOURCE: Mayo Clinic, Kaiser Science, American Optometric Association and European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: No more glasses? New eye drops may help reverse aging vision

Reporting by Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect