Very short columns filled with 1.9 μm particles were evaluated for the ultra-fast analysis of pharmaceutical formulations. Local anaesthetic, mydriatic and anti-hypertensive agents were chosen as analytes and a method was developed and validated for each of these substances, according to ICH guidelines. Excellent quantitative performance was obtained using an optimized Chromatographie system that reduces the importance of extra-column effects and cuts the analysis time to less than 15 s.