anesthesiologist at Mary Rutan Hospital in Bellefontaine, Ohio. "And I
think there tends to be a bias against new technology. It may have to
be driven either by new surgeons coming in, or by a public perception
that it's something we need."
Is it needed?
When surgeons make incisions manually, "there's a lot of anxiety,
whether they want to admit it or not," says Jerrie Graves, BHA, clini-
cal liaison between the University of Houston College of Optometry
(UHCO) Surgery Center and the University Eye Institute in Houston.
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O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | A U G U S T 2 0 1 5
Cataract treatment may be headed in an entirely new direction, one that relies on
prevention and non-surgical treatment, if a recent discovery delivers on its initial
promise. Scientists at the University of California, San Diego, have found that a natu-
rally occurring compound called lanosterol, which can be delivered via injection or
drops, can clear lenses that are clouded with the accumulated proteins that cause
cataracts (osmag.net/H4RcXx).
The researchers found that lanosterol was the missing link in a genetic study of 2
cataract-free parents with 4 children, 3 of whom developed cataracts. The 3 with
cataracts each had mutated versions of a gene known to be involved in producing
lanosterol. Hypothesizing a link, researchers administered lanosterol to both rabbits
and dogs with cataracts and found that their lens clarity improved. Human trials are
expected to be the next step.
The discovery suggests "a novel strategy for the prevention and treatment of
cataracts" with potentially "large health and economic impacts," say the authors,
adding that the study may also have broader implications for other protein-aggrega-
tion diseases, including neurodegenerative conditions such as ALS, Parkinson's and
Alzheimer's, as well as for diabetes. — Jim Burger
NEW CATARACT DISCOVERY
Take 2 Drops and Call Me in the Morning?
