According to research, a new treatment could pave the way for cataract treatment with medications rather than surgery.
Cataracts are cloudy areas in the lens of the eye that lead to blurred vision and blindness for millions of people worldwide.
Current treatment options for the age-related condition revolve around surgery to remove and replace the affected lens.
Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University tested a cataract drug on mice in hopes of expanding treatment possibilities.
The researchers said that rodents given the compound saw “noticeable difference and improvement”, with nearly half (46%) having less clouding in their eyes.
It occurs when cataracts develop cloudy patches of protein in the lens, the small clear disc in the eye, leading to vision loss and blindness for millions of people worldwide. An international team of scientists led by Professor Barbara Pierscionek of Anglia Ruskin University in London tested a proposed compound as a cataract remedy.
Cataracts are caused by the irregularity of the proteins in the lens.
This leads to the formation of protein clumps that scatter light and greatly reduce its passage to the retina.
Professor Barbara Pierscionek and other scientists treated cataract mice with a compound called VP1-001 administered via eye drops.
The results, published in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, show that the treatment restores the target’s protein organization, meaning it can focus better.
The researchers suggest that their findings are an important step towards treating the condition with medications rather than surgery.
About 330,000 cataract surgeries are performed each year in the UK alone.
About 30 percent of people over the age of 65 suffer from cataracts, and one in ten have had surgery for the condition.
Half of Americans have cataracts by age 75, increasing to 70% by age 80.
Professor Pierscionek, the university’s vice dean for health, education, medicine and social care, said the findings show “positive effects” of the proposed cataract medication.
“It’s the first of its kind in the world,” he said.
Professor Pierscionek said there was “noticeable difference and improvement” in eyes treated with VP1-001 compared to eyes that were not treated.
He added: “There have been improvements in some types of cataracts, but not all, suggesting that this could be a treatment for certain types of cataracts.
This suggests that a distinction may need to be made between cataract types when developing cataract medications.
“It’s an important step towards treating this extremely common condition with medications rather than surgery.”
Source: Daily Mail
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