Assessment of Cataract Photobleaching Therapy in Animals

随着人口年龄的增长，白内障的病例也在增加。这种疾病会导致眼睛晶状体混浊，导致视力受损和失明。白内障是导致失明的主要原因，影响全球51%以上的人口。准确的诊断目前是困难的，依赖于眼科医生使用裂隙灯显微镜的主观判断。唯一的治疗方法是手术干预，用塑料代替天然晶状体。该项目基于爱丁堡生物科学有限公司及其合作伙伴在白内障形成、诊断和LED光漂白治疗方面的重要研究，特别是使用提取的晶状体和眼睛。它将证实实验室实验，并转化为来自一只完整的活体眼睛的实时数据，从而证实这种方法的安全性和逆转白内障损伤的能力。因此，证明LED光漂白是手术的非侵入性替代方案。此外，监测LED治疗的效果可以将白内障的发展减少到影响生活质量的程度。成功将使患者保留自然晶状体，避免手术，消除术后风险，保持自然晶状体的适应能力。这种治疗方法将改善越来越多的白内障患者的生活质量，同时减少英国3.3亿英镑的白内障手术费用。由于白内障是一个全球性问题，因此寻求有效解决方案的市场也是全球性的。

As the population grows older the instances of cataract increases. This disease causes cloudiness of the lens of the eye and leads to visual impairment and blindness. Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness affecting over 51% of the global population. Accurate diagnosis is currently difficult, relying on the subjective judgement of the opthalmologist using a slit lamp microscope. The only treatment is by surgical intervention to substitute the natural lens with a plastic replacement. This project is based on significant research by Edinburgh Biosciences Ltd and partners into cataract formation, diagnosis and LED photobleaching treatment notably using extracted lenses and eyes. It will confirm laboratory experiments and translate into live data from a complete living eye confirming both the safety and ability to reverse cataract damage. Thus proving LED photobleaching is a non-invasive alternative to surgery. Furthermore monitoring the effects of LED treatment could reduce the development of cataracts to the point where they affect the quality of life. Success would enable patients to retain the natural lens with the advantages of avoiding surgery, removing the post-operative risks and maintaining the adaption capability of the natural lens. Such treatment would improve the quality of life for the increasing number of cataract sufferers while reducing the £330 Million cost of cataract surgery in the UK. Since cataract is a global problem, the market for an efficient solution is also global.