FuturePundit: Eye Lens Gel Replacement Fixes Eyesight

August 07, 2003

Eye Lens Gel Replacement Fixes Eyesight

Dr. Arthur Ho of the University of New South Wales and a member of Australia's Vision Co-operative Research Centre (Vision CRC) believe his team has developed a gel which can be placed inside aged eye lenses to correct eyesight.

A CURE FOR AGING EYESIGHT is on the way, with the development by an Australian team of a permanent lens and gel that can replace the normal lens of the eye.

Scientists at the Vision CRC are well advanced in their quest to develop an implant that overcomes both loss of focus in aging eyes - or presbyopia - and other vision problems such as short sightedness.

Its developers believe that if successful in human trials - due to begin in 2004/05 - the technique will also overcome cataracts as a cause of loss of sight.

Tests found that the implantable gel lens has around four times the focal power of a pair of reading glasses - significantly better than the researchers' had aimed for, says team leader Dr Arthur Ho. "However we have yet to test it in human patients, so we won't know for sure till then," he adds.

Work on the implantable gel lens began in the CRC for Eye Research and Technology and is being carried on in the new Vision CRC. "Our initial aim was to overcome the inability of the aging eye to focus close-up, caused by the gradual hardening of the lens," Dr Ho explains. "This affects almost everyone aged 45 or more. In Australia, that's about 6.7 million people now - and around 9.9 million by the end of this decade, or 44 per cent of the population."

However the team also wanted to combine the ability to focus close-up with other forms of vision correction, such as distance refractive error - to provide total correct vision, short and long, for the ageing eye.

Besides inserting the soft gel lens, they also propose to insert a novel 'mini-lens' to correct other aspects of vision. This 'mini-lens' will be embedded in the gel within the human lens itself, giving both distance and close-up vision and, potentially, good vision at all distances that will last many years - maybe even a lifetime.

The theoretical potential of this approach has been known for some time due to research at other universities. But a suitable material has not been found up till now. The scientists will not reveal many details about the material until it is patented.

After evaluating more than 30 different polymer formulations created at collaborating Australian research institute, CSIRO Molecular Science in Melbourne, Ho thinks the group has cracked it. Vision CRC is staying tight-lipped about the new formulation while it is being patented. All the team will say is that it is a siloxane-based material, which is cured with UV or visible light after injection to turn it from a liquid to a gel.

The procedure would be quick and easy to do.

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.

Anyone in their mid 40s or older could benefit from this technique once it becomes available. Five years from now the market for reading glasses may be shrinking rapidly.

By Randall Parker at 2003 August 07 10:47 AM Biotech Organ Replacement

Comments

Esther Esber said at November 25, 2003 08:50 PM:

I am so excited about your research as this is exactly what I need. Please place me in your email list so when it comes out I will be the first to use it. thanks E,.Esber

Gwen Hunter said at December 3, 2003 03:22 PM:

I first read about this a few months ago and thought it was brill. I would be grateful if you could place me on your mailing list, as this developement would benefit me.

many thanks
Gwen Hunter

claude talan said at December 16, 2003 01:57 PM:

please keep me informed

Paul Mun said at January 15, 2004 06:00 PM:

Wonderful! I want to a beneficiary to use. Please place me in your mailing list.

Paul

Wayne Scoble said at April 7, 2004 03:03 PM:

Exciting! Please include me on your mailing list.

Gabriel Grigorescu said at April 22, 2004 02:27 PM:

Very interested about the results of your research .Please include me in your e-mail list.

Gabe

Marlene Wagner said at May 4, 2004 04:15 PM:

I had 20/15 eyesight until one year ago shortly before I turned 48. It seemed overnight that I had to resort to wearing glasses for close work. I am very interested in receiving updates on this new technology for restoring the great eyesight I once had.

Bonnie Kidd said at May 25, 2004 11:19 AM:

I have an incipient cataract because of uveitis (it began last month, with my first attack of uveitis) and I am going to need cataract surgery at some time in my life. Please keep me informed of developments with this polymer lens. Thanks.

Bonnie Kidd

billye said at May 25, 2004 09:58 PM:

Please place me on your mailing list

Lianne said at June 19, 2004 01:06 PM:

Always slightly myopic, I took my vision for granted. At 38 I had a cataract removed from my left eye with an intra-ocular lens replacement. Now 40, the cataract on my right eye thankfully is still negligent. However, I now HATE my vision problems. The left eye is great for distance, but closeup is blurry. The right is fine for close up, but not for distance!! Trying to find proper corrective lenses has been expensive, frustrating, and ultimately unsatisfactory resulting in eye and brain fatigue, headaches, etc.

Please keep up the good work, and please keep me informed.

Lianne

Robyn said at August 23, 2004 11:37 PM:

I have been wearing glasses for 6 months, my eyes are still adjusting and my vision
frustrates me. I hate wearing glasses and would be very interested to hear more about the gel lens replacement. Thanks Robyn

Linda Hartt said at September 17, 2004 10:26 AM:

please place me on the email also when this products comes out.

carolyn connolly said at September 26, 2004 01:21 PM:

I have cataracts in both eyes and am younger than most cataract patience. I am trying to delay having surgery as long as possible hoping that something new will be discovered such as what you are working on. Please keep me informed.

Nancye Terry said at October 4, 2004 09:40 PM:

I hate wearing glasses, I always know they are on my face and feel quite restricted wearing them. I would love to hear more about this

Robyn said at October 4, 2004 11:55 PM:

I have been considering Laser Eye Surgery because of the nuisance of glasses, the delay in refocussing my eyes after wearing them for a while. Is it possible to have Laser (LASIK) Surgery and then later have the gel implants.???????????????????????? Does the Gel require the surface of the eye (Cornea) to be untouched by such surgery and would the surgery affect the results of Gel being implanted?

Randall Parker said at October 5, 2004 12:51 AM:

Robyn, Your question of whether LASIK would preclude use of a better treatment several years from now is the reason I'm waiting on having my eyes corrected. I don't know whether LASIK will have that downside. But it seems like a real possibility. So I'm waiting.

Be aware that there are other treatments emerging to compete with LASIK. There is a newer and better "customized" LASIK, and also PRK, LASEK, and a couple of others. My guess is the longer you can stand to wait the better your choices will be.

One treatment that sounds promising is CK or conductive keratoplasty which uses radio waves rather than lasers. However, I do not know if it is any better than LASIK for age-related far-sightedness.

Also, if your eyesight problem is age-related then if your eyesight problem is age-related then LASIK definitely has its limits.

Preoperative education also is vital for patients over age 40. LASIK helps reshape the cornea, not the lens which is the primary culprit in age-related far-sightedness. As with other muscles, with age it is thought the muscles that help the lens reshape to change focus from far to near get weaker. Although LASIK can successfully reshape the cornea to help compensate for this loss, the procedure cannot be used to correct both far- and near-sightedness in those over age 40. The literature review showed that meant the happiest patients tend to be age 45 or younger. “Some patients chose to have one eye corrected for distance and the other for near,” says Dr. Ambati in an effort to avoid needing reading glasses after surgery.
Explaining up front the limits of the procedure may help avoid dissatisfaction later, he says. The authors write “… patients over 45 must be treated with caution and only after being counseled on their continued need for reading glasses.” For those considering correcting one eye for distance and the other for close vision, he suggests patients first wear contacts that work that way as well to see how they like it.

I am hoping for speedy advances of the various lens gel replacement therapies that are currently under development.

Richard Baker said at November 22, 2004 06:41 AM:

Please place me on the email list to receive updates
on the Vision CRC gel to correct cataracts.

Simon Allen said at November 28, 2004 04:20 PM:

Very interesting developments. We are in a fast moving world, and I can well imagine that in 30 years the wearing of glasses will be laughed-at. I find wearing glasses restrictive for water-sports, and would welcome the opportunity to get rid of them. Thank you.

Jane said at December 1, 2004 06:57 AM:

Very interesting, please keep me update on future results

Sharon said at December 6, 2004 08:54 AM:

I am 37 years old. I have cataracts and an astigmatism. Lasiks and all the other surgery will not work for me, either because of the cataracts or because my astigmatism is too severe. I would be very interested to see if this procedure is for me. Please kkep me informed.

Ahad said at January 30, 2005 07:17 PM:

I have myopia and astigmatism that is really making my life more complicated every day. I would love to know how this reasearch would proceed. Please keep me informed

Caitlin wilkinson said at February 18, 2005 10:32 PM:

My father has cataracts and would like to know how he can particpate in the human trials.

paul fougere said at February 28, 2005 01:42 PM:

please place me on your email list and let me know when this product and procedure will be available to the public. Thankyou

Lynne Low said at March 3, 2005 03:55 PM:

This is fantastic news. Please keep me posted re the trials and availability. I will hold off on lens replacement and wait for this.

Erling Aagaard said at March 21, 2005 10:19 AM:

Hi,
I'd love to get an update on the human trials said to begin sometime in 2004-2005. Are things moving forward as planned? Is this going to be available within a few years, or within a decade or so? I'd like to be kept informed, please!

Shaun rottner said at April 4, 2005 08:29 AM:

Any news of a silacone injection found by some NASA research project that lubricates the eyes natural lens enabling the eye to focus again like in our youth? I had heard some blurb in the news and have been looking for info ever since.

Anne Murray said at April 29, 2005 06:13 AM:

My sister has practically no vision in her right eye and reduced vision in her left. This new research could prevent her from going blind. Its sounds almost too good to be true and I would love to hear more.

Richard said at May 9, 2005 08:31 PM:

Today my mom had suregery to remove catract on her left.The doctor took out lens said he could not put back lens surpose see her again tomorrow. Never heard any thing like that before can lens be put in later date?

Mike Peterson said at October 12, 2005 06:23 PM:

Please keep me informed of progress of human trials, this seems a far better option than laser surgery which permanently alters the shape of the eye. This procedure if successful will be a dream come true for many people including myself.

Sandra Hughes said at October 13, 2005 01:29 PM:

I had lasik surgery in 1999. The procedure gave me monovision. However, my eye that sees long distances is not clear. Would this procedure help me or is it too late for me? Please keep me updated. Thanks

Bruce Wagner said at December 17, 2005 09:48 PM:

What a wonderful alternative to wearing glasses! Please put me on your mailing list. Thank you

Wanda Bruce said at January 6, 2006 01:18 PM:

Please place me on your email list to try your new gel.

Thanks.

Barry Higham said at February 8, 2006 04:29 AM:

I am a electric / Mechanical engineer I am 50 now Iam longsighted in my right eye due to my age.I also had astigmatism in my left eye from birth,I have had laser treatment on it to allow me to see close up but I still need glasses for lont term reading and distance vision.The gel implantation sounds just what Iam looking for. I wish you all the susses on your research and development,and I hope the you will be able to help me regain my vision to a better standard.please bear me in mind Kind regards.

R. ALLEN COOK said at October 29, 2006 10:22 PM:

WOULD BE MOST INTERESTED IN RECIEVING UPDATES ON YOUR GEL-LENS IMPLANT RESEARCH WORK.

Fran Jordan said at November 13, 2006 09:14 PM:

Would like to receive email updates. This is definitely worth waiting for! I am extremely nearsighted and also need reading glasses, and am concerned about good vision as I age. Fran Jordan

Jan Stafford said at December 12, 2007 07:27 AM:

The eye lens gel replacement sounds fantastic - please keep me informed with how research is progressing and when and where is may become available.

Karl J. Lund said at January 9, 2008 02:54 PM:

I have a work where I really miss the ability to adjust the focus distance as I did when I was young. Changing glasses for different kind of work is bothersome. I hope that the gel solution will allow me to adjust the sight as I want to do. Please inform me of availability.