
Eye Drops Could Clear Up Cataracts Using Newly Identified Chemical - DrScump
https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2015/11/176886/eye-drops-could-clear-cataracts-using-newly-identified-chemical
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jrapdx3
When article described the protein in the lens as "amyloid", it occurred to me
how similar it is to the abnormal proteins associated with Alzheimer's
dementia.

Sure enough, the last paragraph suggests the very same thing, if we know how
to "unfold" the lens protein maybe it's possible to do the same in the brain
with therapeutic effect on Alzheimer's.

Of course it's a long shot, but exploring that lead sounds important. Nature,
and science often work in strange, unexpected ways. Though benefit for
cataracts is itself non-trivial. Several people I know have not had good
outcome of surgery. Ability to just "melt" away the lens cloudiness would be
very useful.

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Natsu
It's hard to get things past the blood-brain barrier, so assuming they
identify something useful, I wonder how they'd do that? I wonder if an
injection would work, hypothetically?

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pan69
This sounds promising. I was born with a cataract in my right eye. I'm in my
early forties now and technically, for all intends and purposes, you could say
I'm blind in my right eye (kinda depends on the light intensity).
Unfortunately my cataract is difficult to operate on since it's not free
floating so they can't easily "scoop" it out. So, an eye-drop that dissolves
this thing sounds great.

If they now could also find some eye drop that can dissolve the crap I have
floating in my left eye, that would be fantastic!

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akg_67
Do you have floaters in your left eye? Retina detachment? Your case sounds
similar to mine.

Recently diagnosed with cataract in right eye. Few years ago, retina
detachment in left eye, followed by cataract in left eye, and then losing
pupil controlling nerves in left eye during cataract surgery.

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pan69
Ten years ago some eye specialist wanted to operate on my cataract. Apparently
there could be complications but according to him "it would be worth the
risk". Sounded like a fun project for him. I passed. I'm pretty much used to
my crappy vision and I figured I'd wait ten years to see what happens with
technology in this field and then suddenly, BOOM, eye drops! Even right now I
wouldn't do an operation unless there was a 100% guaranteed no side effects
(with the surgeon signing the guarantee with his own blood). Let's wait
another five years and see where these eye-drops end up.

It's definitely just normal "floaters" in my left eye.

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melling
Sounds like we're at least a decade away since it's not to the point of human
clinical trials.

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yborg
Yeah. Work is interesting, but things don't always work the same in humans.
Remember the anti-angiogenesis cancer cure? Worked great in mice, completely
ineffective in humans.

And even if it works, it's likely to cost the same as cataract surgery until
the patents expire, so all of those blind people in poor nations will stay
that way for even longer.

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seesomesense
And even more fun: "Initially, it was thought that angiogenesis inhibitors
would have mild side effects, but more recent studies have revealed the
potential for complications that reflect the importance of angiogenesis in
many normal body processes, such as wound healing, heart and kidney function,
fetal development, and reproduction. Side effects of treatment with
angiogenesis inhibitors can include problems with bleeding, clots in the
arteries (with resultant stroke or heart attack), hypertension, and protein in
the urine . Gastrointestinal perforation and fistulas also appear to be rare
side effects of some angiogenesis inhibitors." [http://www.cancer.gov/about-
cancer/treatment/types/immunothe...](http://www.cancer.gov/about-
cancer/treatment/types/immunotherapy/angiogenesis-inhibitors-fact-sheet#q4)

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PostThisTooFast
Interesting that it's a sterol, considering that corticosteroids CAUSE
cataracts. Not to mention destroying retinas by inducing central serous
retinopathy. We're talking allergy nasal sprays like Nasonex, eye drops like
Tobradex, and shots like Prednisone.

Don't use corticosteroids unless it's a dire situation (pretty much never).

