Eye News Roundup – June, Week 2

Researchers at the Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science have been able to develop a noninvasive approach for permanent vision correction, according to a report. Preclinical models of the new technique have shown great potential.

Researchers resorted to ‘femtosecond oscillator’ technique, a nonsurgical way of altering the biomechanical and biochemical properties of the corneal tissue with selective and localized perspective.

In this technique, macroscopic geometry of tissue is altered, more importantly, in a nonsurgical manner, with minimal side effects and limitations as compared to the ones found in refractive surgeries.

This new technique is believed to be of great assistance in treating a handful of common eye problems like myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism and irregular astigmatism.

Whereas already existing solutions for these eye problems include simple eye glasses and contact lenses, corneal refractive surgery is considered to be a more permanent solution with reasonably high success rate. However, it’s still an invasive procedure with possible post-surgical complications, rarely also leading to permanent vision loss.

Even laser-assisted vision correction surgeries like LASIK (laser in situ keratomileusis) and PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) relying on ablative technology can potentially thin down or weaken the cornea.

Sinisa Vukelic, spearheading this newly developed noninvasive approach for permanent vision correction at the Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science firmly believes in great potential of the technique as witnessed in preclinical trials.

This new method relies on an ultrafast laser referred as ‘femtosecond oscillator’ for delivering very low energy pulses at high repetition rate to selectively and locally altering the biomechanical and biochemical properties of targeted corneal tissue.

SceinceDaily has more of this interesting new development.