Millions of Americans undergo cataract removal surgery each year New research in squirrels has spotted a protein in the eye that reverses the vision-robbing condition Surgeries come with risks, so any non-surgical option for cataracts is welcome MONDAY, Sept. 23, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Research in rats and hibernating squirrels has pinpointed a naturally occurring protein that appears to reverse cataracts, scientists report. Animal studies don't always pan out in people, of course.
But the discovery of the RNF114 protein raises the possibility of surgery-free removal, according to a team from the U.S. National Eye Institute (NEI).
“Understanding the molecular drivers of this reversible cataract phenomenon might point us in a direction toward a potential treatment strategy,” said the study’s co-lead investigator, . He's a senior investigator in the NEI's Retinal Neurophysiology Section. His team published its findings Sept.
17 in the As the NEI explained, "a cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of your eye [the clear part of the eye that helps to focus light]. This can make your vision cloudy." Right now, surgery is a patient's only treatment option, and almost 4 million such procedures are conducted in the United States each year.
A non-surgical approach has long been a holy grail of ophthalmological research. Meanwhile, anyone living in the American heartland has probably seen a . These hardy creatures are perfect for cataract research, Li's team explained, because .
