Researchers have unveiled a potential alternative to traditional LASIK surgery that corrects vision without the use of lasers. The innovative approach, known as electromechanical reshaping (EMR), relies on electrical currents and a platinum contact lens to alter the shape of the cornea with minimal invasiveness.
The technique, presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society by a team led by Professor Michael Hill of Occidental College, could pave the way for a cheaper, safer, and even reversible method of treating common vision problems.
Unlike LASIK, which requires lasers and incisions, EMR works by generating pH changes in collagen-containing tissues such as the cornea, rendering them temporarily malleable. Using a platinum “contact lens” shaped like a corrected cornea, researchers induced precise changes in the tissue, enabling the cornea to reshape itself in under a minute, the same time frame as LASIK, but with fewer steps.
In laboratory experiments involving rabbits, the team successfully improved corneal shape in 10 out of 12 treated eyes, simulating the correction of myopia (nearsightedness). The researchers believe EMR could eventually address a range of conditions, including chemical-induced corneal cloudiness that currently requires transplants.
The discovery of EMR’s reshaping effect was made by accident during studies on tissue modification, according to Professor Brian Wong of the University of California, Irvine, who collaborated on the research.
While the results are promising, the scientists stressed that further detailed animal studies are required before human trials can begin. Hill emphasized the potential of the technology, noting that EMR could be not only more affordable than LASIK but also reversible if necessary.
“There’s a long road between what we’ve done and the clinic,” Hill said. “But, if we get there, this technique is widely applicable, vastly cheaper, and potentially even reversible.”
If developed further, EMR could transform the field of ophthalmology by making vision correction more accessible worldwide, particularly in regions where laser-based surgeries remain cost-prohibitive.
–Input WAM
