New Hope for Cataract Patients

Implantable lens may benefit those who need surgery

WEDNESDAY, June 19, 2002 (HealthDayNews) -- A photosensitive silicone lens that would be implanted in the eyes of patients who have cataract surgery could one day offer them customized vision and eliminate the need for prescription glasses, researchers say.

It's called the Light Adjustable Lens (LALT). It's being developed by Calhoun Vision Inc., based on technology created by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, and the California Institute of Technology. An update on its development was presented recently to the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

A cataract is a "clouding of the eye's lens that can cause vision problems. The most common type is related to aging. More than half of all Americans age 65 and older have a cataract," says the National Eye Institute.

There are about 3 million cataract surgeries each year in the United States, and the majority of the people who have the operation have to wear prescription glasses after the procedure. That's because many of them experience "refractive errors after the surgery caused by unpredictable wound healing, inaccurate pre-operative eye measurements, or pre-existing conditions such as astigmatism," the researchers say.

The LALT developers say their lens would be implanted in the eye after cataract surgery. The patient would return two to four weeks later to have the lens customized for their vision needs. That would be done by directing a cool, low-intensity beam of light into the lens.

Initial human trials of LALT are expected to begin this summer.

More information

To learn more about cataracts and their treatment, visit the National Eye Institute.

Related Stories

No stories found.
logo
www.healthday.com