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Uncommonly Sensible

Keeping the "anal" in analytical... (While trying to remain civilized)

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Saturday, August 23, 2008

I see...


A few months ago, I was reading in Popular Science about an experimental procedure to get rid of cataracts.

It seems that this inventive fellow's father was suffering from cataracts, so he decided to see what he could do about it.

The article follows:

When Rajiv Bhushan’s father complained of blurry, browned vision and pain from bright lights, doctors told him that surgically replacing his eyes’ lenses was the only way to correct the cataracts that had left him legally blind. Instead, after learning that cataracts result from an age-related accumulation of proteins and lipids in a person’s lens, Bhushan, an electrical engineer, set to work concocting a chemical solution to break up the molecules clouding his father’s eyes.

Six years later, the eyedrops, called C-KAD, are entering the final stages of clinical testing. If all goes well, they will hit pharmacy shelves in two years, becoming the first non-surgical treatment. "Nobody, including myself, would have looked at this and thought it would work," says Randall Olson, chairman of the department of ophthalmology at the University of Utah School of Medicine and scientific adviser for Bhushan’s company, Chakshu Research. "But during trials, I’ve seen cataracts disappear." Even better, the drops might also relieve the blinding symptoms of glaucoma and macular degeneration.

If Bhushan’s guinea-pig dad is any indication, the drops could slash the three million cataract surgeries performed every year in the U.S. After three months of daily drops, his vision had improved to 20/80—good enough to read his e-mail for the first time in a year.


There's another article about it HERE.

Things may be "looking up" for people with cataracts...

11 Comments:

Blogger mindknumbed kid said...

This is great news! Eye surgeons won't like it, but Medicare should see some savings.

August 23, 2008 6:34 PM  
Blogger Feline From Da' Rocky Mtn. Hood said...

Because this day has been like a blur,my focus is elsewhere at the moment, it wouldn't appear to me that eye have any puns about this bit--despite the door being wide opened, but it looks quite promising. What a cool thing for a son to *do* for his daddy, too. Let us raise our collective glasses in a toast to Rajiv Bhushan. (even though with a name that contains "Bhush", I can't envision him being somewhat of a shady character. [OK..so I was reaching with "shady"]

Eye better move along now, otherwise Irisk someone setting their sights on me and contacting me about my blind ambition of being a pupil of blogging. And an alliterating illiterate at that!

EEK! I think I've just framed meyeself!!

Geeez your blog is uncooperative and antagonistic when it comes to trying to post. It's been (erroneously!) lashing out at me about my password being "incorrect", when in fact I have it saved in my log in info (secret) page!! Arrggghh!

August 23, 2008 7:00 PM  
Blogger Hawkeye® said...

Hey Camo, I'm glad you're keeping an "eye" on this kinda stuff. You're really on the "ball". Be sure to update us if you "see" anything else on this topic. You're a man of "vision", that's all I can say.

I will now return to my place (the "View").

(:D) Best regards...

August 23, 2008 7:04 PM  
Blogger mig said...

Sounds promising to those of us that have the early stages of macular degeneration. Both my father and uncle also have MD and my dad has cataracts but the MD is so bad that he is not a candidate for the cataract surgery. I'll send this along, even if he isn't a candidate for the drops it will give him something to look forward to.

August 23, 2008 10:43 PM  
Blogger Bunny said...

All puns and other semantics games aside, I hope that the clinical tests on these eyedrops prove positive enough for "BIG PHARMA" to take up the further R & D of this drug for near-future mass production. Of course, it also will have to go through the bureaucratic mess that is the FDA, but the sooner this gets seriously underway, the better!!

August 23, 2008 10:50 PM  
Blogger camojack said...

mindknumbed kid:
The eye surgeons may not like it, but the less cutting the better, IMO.

Feline From Da' Rocky Mtn. Hood:
Eye see. Yes, pun intended, such as 'tis.

As for my blog being uncooperative, I'd blame it on Google, but in this instance I actually get more than I'm paying for...in view of the fact that I'm getting it for free.
(Oops! There I went and did it again!!!)

Hawkeye®:
I try to keep track of things; but there are just so many to "keep an eye on", as it were.

mig:
It does sound promising. I hope it can meet expectations, but it appears to be quite positive thus far.

Bunny:
Well, as it says in the article: "If all goes well, they will hit pharmacy shelves in two years".

Sooner would be better of course, but as you said, it still has to go "through the bureaucratic mess"...

August 23, 2008 11:22 PM  
Blogger Marsha said...

This is too funny, I've been having these uncomfortable symptoms and my bifocals are brand new so I thought it might be my glasses...and then you post this...

August 24, 2008 7:53 AM  
Blogger boberin said...

Informative as ever, nicely done! This time the comments took over the humor part quite well too. Having just gotten my first eye exam in 5 years I was thrilled to learn that my prescription hadn't changed and these 53 year old eyes are hanging in there. I can't imagine what it's like to have your visions disappear "beofre your eyes" so to speak. I hope this is approved befor I need it!

August 25, 2008 10:04 AM  
Blogger camojack said...

Marsha:
I hope that you're not developing cataracts, but if so...then I hope that the eyedrop method will be approved and ready to go at such time as you may need it.

boberin:
I've been relatively responsible about going to the eye doctor every two years.

I also hope that the eyedrops get approved before I need them; of course, it would be even better if it remains a non-issue for me, but one never knows. However, "so far, so good"...

August 26, 2008 7:43 AM  
Blogger KA said...

This sounds like it'll be bad for surgeons. However, with all new treatments like this, there's always a downside. My advice is always to wait about 5 years after a new medical miracle hits the shelves to see what the long term effects are and see if you want to live with them.

August 26, 2008 10:22 PM  
Blogger camojack said...

ToughGirl101:
I think eye surgeons will still have work to do, repairing detached retinas and whatnot.

I'd tend to agree with you about the "wait and see" stance, although some folks might not be able (or want) to wait...

August 27, 2008 7:28 AM  

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