A colour changing hydrogel that could reduce complications from cataract surgery has been invented by scientists from John Hopkins University in the United States.
The colour-changing gel is designed to overcome complications such as increased eye pressure and pain, caused by incomplete removal of a clear hydrogel, used during cataract surgery to protect the cornea.
The clear gel created by the John Hopkins team turns fluorescent green under blue light, allowing surgeons to verify complete removal following surgery.
Scientists Erick Rocher and Associate Professor Allen Eghrari have filed a provisional patent application. Although tested on porcine models, the gel still needs to be evaluated for safety in humans.
Now, when surgeons finish up a case, they can rest assured that all the gel has been removed versus beforehand, when they just had to do their best and hope they’d gotten it all.
“Because the gel has to be clear for the surgeon to operate, it’s very easy to leave some behind,” said Mr Rocher. “Now, when surgeons finish up a case, they can rest assured that all the gel has been removed versus beforehand, when they just had to do their best and hope they’d gotten it all.”
Mr Rocher explained that scientists have previously tried to dye the gel but sometimes the dye would leak and spread into the eye, making it challenging for the surgeon to distinguish between the surgical gel and the dispersed dye.
In comparison, the new gel not only contains fluorescein and hyaluronic acid but also chemically bonds the fluorescent dye to the polymer that forms the gel.
Reference
- John Hopkins University, Scientists engineer ‘glowing’ gel to improve eye surgery, available at: hub.jhu.edu/2024/10/31/scientists-engineer-glowing-gel-to-improve-eye-surgery/ [accessed Nov 2024].
