1. Biomaterials pulsed with blue light can reshape thinning corneas
Light-activated injectable biomaterials able to change the shape of and thicken a diseased or damaged cornea could herald a plausible alternative to corneal transplantation in the treatment of corneal-thinning disorders.
Corneal diseases are among the most common causes of blindness.
The injectable materials – a mixture of biopolymers and custom-made peptides that assemble into a hydrogel when pulsed with low-energy blue light – were able to change the cornea shape and thicken it to varying degrees in an ex vivo pig cornea model. Intracorneal injection of these materials in rats showed the top two materials, G44 and G50, caused no significant inflammation or neovascularisation and remained stable in vivo for six weeks.
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ABDO, Boots Opticians, the College and Specsavers have all come together to deliver a public awareness campaign on the importance of children receiving a full sight test before they start school, around three to four years old.
The College of Optometrists has partnered with Boots Opticians to launch a new fully funded PhD Scholarship to extend the profession's investment in the next generation of optometry researchers.
The College of Optometrists is inviting members and non-members to nominate outstanding researchers for the annual Research Excellence Awards in recognition of those making a significant contribution to optometric research and the future of the profession.