Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide, accounting for more than half of all cases. They most commonly occur over time, with age, when the transparent, tight protein structure of the human lens is disrupted, usually by protein aggregation caused by oxidative stress.
The National Eye Institute estimates that by age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had surgery to remove one.
The only treatment now available for cataracts is surgical removal of the natural lens and replacement with a plastic lens. While the surgery has very high success rates, in developed countries it contributes to higher healthcare costs. As populations age, estimates indicate that cataract surgeries will double in the next 20 years. Because cataract surgery emerges as an option later in life, delaying the development of the disease by as little as ten years might eliminate the need for nearly half of those surgeries.
"While we have yet to determine precisely how lanosterol is working, we are gratified that the treatment is working," said RPB resesarcher Dr. Kang Zhang, professor of ophthalmology and chief of ophthalmic genetics at UC San Diego.
Before testing can begin in humans, researchers will check the toxicity of lanosterol, then create an eye drop version of the drug, hopefully within a year.
Source:
https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2015/11/176886/eye-drops-could-clear-cataracts-using-newly-identified-chemical
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Eye Drops That Could Clear Up Cataracts Using Newly Identified Chemical
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