Vision has been successfully restored to individuals suffering from a rare and previously untreatable blinding condition, thanks to a simple, low-cost gel commonly used in eye surgery. Researchers at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London have announced groundbreaking results from a new treatment approach.
A Simple Solution for a Complex Problem
The treatment centres on hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), a clear, colourless gel that is a staple in operating theatres. Typically used to maintain an eye's shape during surgery or to coat its surface, the gel is usually washed out at the end of a procedure. In an innovative move, scientists began injecting it directly into the eyes of patients with hypotony.
Hypotony affects roughly 100 people in the UK annually and is characterised by abnormally low pressure inside the eyeball. This causes the eye to lose its shape, leading to severe vision impairment or blindness. The condition can result from various diseases, trauma, inflammation, or surgical complications.
Filling the Eye 'Like Pumping Up a Ball'
Consultant ophthalmologist Harry Petrushkin, who led the work at Moorfields, explained the mechanism. He described HPMC as a "really safe" substance, not unlike cosmetic fillers. "It fills the space, but in this context, it fills the space with something that's transparent," Mr Petrushkin said. "A bit like if you're pumping up a ball, you can pump it up to exactly the right size, and then the eye can see much better."
Patients received fortnightly injections of HPMC over a 12-month period. The study, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, involved eight patients. Remarkably, the treatment restored the natural shape of the eye and, crucially, returned sight to seven of those eight individuals after the year of treatment. No serious side effects have been reported to date.
Life-Changing Results for Patients
This new approach offers a significant advantage over the current standard treatment, which involves filling the eye with silicone oil. Silicone oil can be toxic to the eye over the long term and offers poorer optical clarity. "The advantage of using a gel rather than silicone oil is that you can actually see through it much better," Mr Petrushkin noted.
For patients like 47-year-old Nicki Guy, who has been treated since 2019 and took part in the study, the results have been transformative. "I am so close to being able to drive again with my vision in my left eye," she said. "I've been able to take my son skiing. I love taking photographs, so I can do that again... from where I was, it's just phenomenal."
The Future of Hypotony Treatment
So far, Moorfields has treated 35 hypotony patients using this HPMC method, and Mr Petrushkin confirms the "results are holding up." In some successful cases, the injections could be stopped entirely once the eye regained its normal size.
Buoyed by this success, the team is now seeking funding for a larger clinical trial. This next phase aims to test different gels to identify which formulation might require the fewest injections, making the treatment even more efficient and manageable for patients. This breakthrough represents a major shift in managing a condition that had few effective options, offering new hope through a repurposed, accessible tool.
