Did you know… that if your parents or other family members have cataracts you are more likely to develop them? Despite the life-changing advances made in the treatment of cataracts in the last 60 years, the increasing prevalence of cataracts—and the fact that it is one of the most expensive medical diagnoses—underscore the need for additional research. Innovations on the horizon include artificial intelligence robotic-assisted surgeries and 3-D lenses.
There is also a recent study at the Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK, that showed individuals who undergo cataract surgery slow their rate of cognitive decline by as much as 50% for more than a decade after their procedure. Given the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in the U.S., this is of particular importance. Learn more.
Visionary Scientists
Catherine Cheng, PhD, a bioengineer at the Indiana University School of Optometry, is researching the pathways in cells that contribute to cataracts. Much of her work is focused on finding answers some key questions about basic lens cell biology. These answers will help facilitate the development of new, non-surgical approaches to delay or prevent age-related lens pathologies, including cataracts. More.
Source: https://preventblindness.org/cataract-awareness-month-2020/
