Breakthrough in electric myopia treatment technique, no surgery required

Tests on rabbits showed that after just a few minutes, the cornea was reshaped without the need for surgery.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people choose surgery to correct myopia - Photo: hcf.com.au

American scientists have developed a non-surgical corneal reshaping technique that could replace LASIK by using electricity instead of lasers. Tests on rabbits showed that after just a few minutes, the cornea was reshaped without the need for incisions.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people choose LASIK to improve their vision. This procedure uses a laser to remove a portion of the corneal tissue to correct its curvature, helping the eye focus light more accurately.

Although popular and considered safe, LASIK still carries risks and reduces the structural strength of the eye. Professor Michael Hill (Occidental College, USA) commented: "LASIK is essentially still tissue cutting surgery, the only difference is that it uses laser beams."

Hill and his colleague Brian Wong (University of California, Irvine, USA) have discovered a new approach called Electromechanical Reshaping (EMR). This method takes advantage of the chemical properties of collagen-containing tissue, which is affected by changes in pH when an electric current is applied. When the pH decreases, the bonds in the tissue loosen, allowing the structure to be reshaped. When the pH returns to normal, the tissue is "locked" in its new shape.

The team created a platinum “contact lens” that acted as an electrode to shape the cornea. In the experiment, the lens was placed on a rabbit cornea soaked in a saline solution, then a small voltage was applied.

In just a minute, the cornea conforms to the lens. Results on 12 rabbit corneas—10 of which were treated to simulate nearsightedness—showed successful focus adjustment, while cells survived thanks to carefully controlled pH levels.

The method also shows potential for correcting chemically opaque corneas, which can currently only be treated with corneal transplants.

While promising, the technology is still in its early stages. The next step will be to test it on live rabbits and determine its ability to correct other refractive errors such as farsightedness and astigmatism.

The team admits there is a "long way to go" before clinical application, but if successful, the EMR technique could be much cheaper than LASIK, less risky and even reversible.

VNA

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/dot-pha-ky-thuat-chua-can-thi-bang-dien-khong-can-phau-thuat-20250822091951704.htm