As you may already know, aging and cataracts pair together like fish and chips. 90% of those age 65 and older develop cataracts, and by the age of 75, as many as 50% have experienced vision loss as a result of them. And currently, the only remedy to restore cleared vision has been surgery.
Enter the latest research for cataract control, which may be available within five to ten years: eye drops that can dissolve the damaged crystalline proteins that cataracts are comprised of. Tested successfully in mice as well as humans, Jason Gestwicki of the University of California at San Francisco and head of the study noted, “We did see very promising improvements in transparency and protein solubility in the lens … although not a complete reversal.”
Research continues, and the future of an effective eye drop-based treatment is looking good, and expected to be both inexpensive and non-toxic, according to J. Fielding Hejtmancik of the US National Institutes of Health.
Stay tuned for updates on this exciting research. For more articles related to St. Joseph home health, see our other blog articles. And if you are in need of home care services for a loved one in the St. Joseph area or anywhere within Cass, Berrien, Van Buren or Kalamazoo Counties, let Home Sweet Home In-Home Care help. We can provide tips to make a home safer and more comfortable for a person with reduced vision. Contact us today at (269) 849-9252 to learn more!