The latest advances in ophthalmology make procedures for patients even faster, easier and more beneficial than they have been in years past. What are some of the newest tools ophthalmologists have at their disposal and what’s coming in the years ahead?
3D Printing
3D Printing allows a digital file to become a real-life, three-dimensional object. This technology grants programmers the ability to create miniature versions of electronics that can be more accurate. This will be especially helpful when it comes to surgeries that require precise movements.
How is 3D printing used in ophthalmology? Researchers at Princeton University have reported in journal Nano Letters the ability to use 3D printing to produce multi-color LEDs on contact lenses. In the future, people with certain vision disorders and even healthy eyed folks will have access to electronic contact lenses that can improve and augment native vision.
MicroNeedles
For several eye conditions, the best treatment is for drugs to be applied directly into the eye. Advances in the size and shape of needles are simplifying this process.
Researchers at Georgia Tech and Emory University have been working on microneedles and formulations to safely and effectively deliver drugs into the eye. Patients will benefit from the lasting effects of one shot as opposed to administering eye drops every day that can easily be forgotten.
Artificial Retina
Researchers from Tel Aviv University, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, and Newcastle University have created a proof of concept artificial retina that may one day help treat a number of eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration.
The artificial retina is made of semiconductor nanorod-carbon nanotubes which allow for flexibility to fit to the natural shape of the eye. In early testing, the artificial retina has been shown to induce a reaction to light in animals that were not light sensitive.
Vision Implants
Vision implants could eliminate the need for glasses and contact lenses. Patients would no longer have put reading glasses on and off because the KAMRA Vision corneal inlay device has a camera-like aperture that automatically adjusts to change the depth of field of the image that falls on the retina.
Even more amazing, these revolutionary implants can be implanted in as little as ten minutes.
The world around us is constantly changing and technology is leading the charge. We are excited to see the opportunities advances in technology will continue to bring to the field of ophthalmology.
