When Rajiv Bhushans 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 persons lens, Bhushan, an electrical engineer, set to work concocting a chemical solution to break up the molecules clouding his fathers 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.
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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