Vision-improving nanoparticle eyedrops could end the need for glasses

Authored by digitaltrends.com and submitted by izumi3682
image for Vision-improving nanoparticle eyedrops could end the need for glasses

Could the development of eyesight-improving eyedrops help eliminate the need for glasses? Quite possibly, suggests new research coming out of Israel’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center and Bar-Ilan University. A team of ophthalmologists at these institutes have invented and tested “nanodrops” which, combined with a laser process, reportedly results in improvements in both short- and long-sightedness. Clinical testing in humans is set to take place later in 2018.

“The invention includes three parts,” Zeev Zalevsky, professor of electrical engineering and nanophotonics at Bar-Ilan University, who worked on the project, told Digital Trends.

The first of these steps involves an app on the patient’s smartphone or mobile device which measures their eye refraction. A laser pattern is then created and projected onto the corneal surface of the eyes. This surgical procedure takes less than one second. Finally, the patient uses eyedrops containing what Zalevsky describes as “special nanoparticles.”

“These nanoparticles go into the shallow ablated patterns generated on the surface of the cornea,” he explained. “They change the refraction index inside of those patterns. This corrects the visual problem the user has. The process of correction can be done at home without the need of a medical doctor.”

Zalevsky said that the treatment differs substantially from regular laser eye surgery, which removes a significant portion of the cornea, the transparent layer which forms the front of the eye. In the new process, only the upper part of the cornea is affected. The benefit of this approach is that, not only does it mean that the treatment can be safely carried out in a patient’s home without medical supervision, but that it should prove effective for far more patients.

The downside of the approach is that, because it is a milder treatment, the eye will gradually heal itself, which means that the improvements will subside. As a result, patients would need to repeat the process every one to two months in order to maintain their superior eyesight.

So far, the team has carried out ex-vivo experiments on pig eyes. These tests demonstrated improvements for both myopia and presbyopia, meaning short and long-sightedness. “We showed that … the nanoparticles went into the surface patterns and that without them no correction is obtained,” Zalevsky said. “We are now raising funds in order to commercialize this technology from Bar-Ilan University. We intend to finish in-vivo tests within one year and I hope that within two years the product may be available [on] the market.”

Ubarlight on March 8th, 2018 at 22:51 UTC »

Hi I'm nanoparticles in my eyes Johnson, here at nanoparticles in my eyes Johnson electronics!

seeingeyegod on March 8th, 2018 at 22:45 UTC »

So THATS what Cpt. Lorca was shooting into his eyeballs with the hypospray thingy.

networkedquokka on March 8th, 2018 at 22:13 UTC »

Hey! Drops to fix your eyes! Awesome!

FTA: combined with a laser process

Oh.

So not cheap. Luxottica, the company that owns LensCrafters, Pearle, Sears Optical, Target Optical, EyeMed, and probably any other sunglass/eyeglass chain/brand you can name off the top of your head will rest easy tonight.