No More Blind Spots

A new drop washes away cataracts in aging eyes
By Corey Binns Posted 04.01.2008 at 2:21 pm 4 Comments

Going Blind: Photo by iStockphoto
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.

4 Comments

Comments

FoSTeX
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 04/02/08 at 12:44 pm

This is truly a medical breakthough!

No sense in debating with an idiot... they just bring you down to their level... then beat you at it.

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Cyclic Hardover
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 04/11/08 at 10:11 pm

I would like to be part of this clinical testing. I recently had cataract surgery in my right eye. Left eye they say is probably 10 years away but has shown initial stages.

Email me at mlhuckins@msn.com

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nanhagen
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 04/14/08 at 10:46 am

I have a 2 yr old Shnoodle that has congenital cataract in both eye's. Have you ever thought of testing on Canines? If your ever need a test subject Mikey would love to be your test subject. Contact Mikey and I at nanhagen@yahoo.com

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compassroselmt
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 04/18/08 at 12:51 pm

compass rose

If, indeed, this miracle works and is inexpensive, don't plan on seeing it on your phamacists shelf very soon.

What do you think the reaction to this treatment will be from the doctors who do the three million catarac surgeries? They could lose their Mercedes and practices. I think that there will be a lot of pressure aimed at the AMA and the FDA to slow the approval down to a crawl or deny it all together.

I personally hope that this treatment is approved but, just as it would be in the case of cancer, if a natural and inexpensive cure was found it would be run out of town on a rail. Too much money is at stake.

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