Eye gel implant could stall lossof sight

[trevbigg]

Eye gel implant could stall lossof sight Aug 7 2003




External Contributor, The Western Mail


A REVOLUTIONARY gel that can be implanted into the eye could enable millions of people to throw away their glasses, scientists said yesterday.

An Australian team of eye experts claims a simple injection of the gel into the lens of middle-aged people could prevent the inevitable onset of sight deterioration.

The technique, which is expected to undergo human trials by the end of next year, could herald a revolution in ophthalmic surgery, according to experts.

Scientists at the Australian government's multi-national Vision Co-operative Research Centre (Vision CRC) have been working on the gel technique to combat cataract surgery.

But the technique could also be used for the ageing eye, which loses its ability to change shape and focus due to an inevitable hardening of the lens.

In the late 1980s, a University of Miami scientist showed that replacing the contents of an ageing monkey's lens with silicone oil could restore its ability to focus.

But silicone oil leaks so it was difficult for the technique to be of practical use.

However, Vision CRC believes it has solved the problem, with the development of a gel that has the right bio-mechanical make-up.

The technique has been tested successfully on rabbits, with the next step to use monkeys.

"In the best-case scenario, we should begin human trials by the end of next year," said Arthur Ho, of Vision CRC.

Implanting the gel would be very similar to current cataract surgery, except that the lens is not replaced.

Instead, after making a small incision in the cornea, a doctor would cut a tiny hole in the lens capsule and suck out the contents.

The gel, which has the consistency of thick oil, is pumped in and a burst of UV or visible light transforms it into jelly.

"This could be a quick 15-minute procedure," said Mr Ho.

Hugh Taylor, director of the Centre for Eye Research Australia in Melbourne, said, "This technique has enormous potential.

"It will totally change ophthalmic surgery, if we can get it right."

[paw]

"It will totally change ophthalmic surgery, if we can get it right."

"If we can get it right"?! Yikes!

What a confidence booster -- NOT!

I feel sorry for the first human guinea pig.

[Jedi]

I saw a bit piece on this on Tech Tv. I can just see it, "Need another half diopter of add, Mr. Smith? Ding! Ding!, Filler up!" or even OTC home kits. Isn't technology grand. ;)

[Optom]

Hello Trevbigg,
Are you talking about the New Vision Cooperative Research Centre Presbyopia Meeting held at the Centre on 28-29 July, which brought together researchers from around the world to tackle the challenge of ageing eyesight, and is developing a strategy to replace the hardened lens to restore good vision at any distance by developing a flexible gel lens to replace the old hardened lens. This gel lens is designed to act just like the natural lens and be able to change shape and focus to provide near vision. They are also developing a supplementary endocapsular 'mini-lens' which will be surrounded by the gel and which will provide correction for distance vision. The new system will be appropriate both for presbyopic patients and also for the enormous number of cataract patients around the world.
Are you talking about this meeting? Just curious to know.
Regards,
Optom

[chip anderson]

What's going to flex this lens when the capsule becomes opaque and has to be opened surgicly as 50% of them do?

Another new surgical "gimic" gone down the drain like RK.

Chip