Glaucoma, caused by rising fluid pressure in the eyes, is known as the silent thief of sight. Catching the disease in the early stages is critical because if detected too late it leads to blindness. Regular monitoring and controlling of the disease once detected is invaluable.
Now, Stephen Quake, PhD, professor of bioengineering at Stanford, and Yossi Mandel, MD, PhD, an applied physics and ophthalmologist at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, have developed a tiny eye implant that would allow patients to take daily or hourly measurements of eye pressure from home.
A recent Stanford Report article explains how the device works:
It consists of a small tube - one end is open to the fluids that fill the eye; the other end is capped with a small bulb filled with gas. As the [internal optic pressure] increases, intraocular fluid is pushed into the tube; the gas pushes back against this flow.
As IOP fluctuates, the meniscus - the barrier between the fluid and the gas - moves back and forth in the tube. Patients could use a custom smartphone app or a wearable technology, such as Google Glass, to snap a photo of the instrument at any time, providing a critical wealth of data that could steer treatment. For instance, in one previous study, researchers found that 24-hour IOP monitoring resulted in a change in treatment in up to 80 percent of patients.
"For me, the charm of this is the simplicity of the device. Glaucoma is a substantial issue in human health. It's critical to catch things before they go off the rails, because once you go off, you can go blind. If patients could monitor themselves frequently, you might see an improvement in treatments," Quake added.
The full report (subscription required) is published in the current issue of Nature Medicine.
Jen Baxter is a freelance writer and photographer. After spending eight years working for Kaiser Permanente Health plan she took a self-imposed sabbatical to travel around South East Asia and become a blogger. She enjoys writing about nutrition, meditation, and mental health, and finding personal stories that inspire people to take responsibility for their own well-being. Her website and blog can be found at www.jenbaxter.com.
Previously: What I did this summer: Stanford medical student investigates early detection methods for glaucoma, To maintain good eyesight, make healthy vision a priority and Instagram for eyes: Stanford ophthalmologists develop low-cost device to ease image sharing
Photo by Magmiretoby
