Post by UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences

📣 Incredible breakthrough in treating rare low eye pressure condition Researchers at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital, London have reported highly promising results for treating hypotony — a rare, previously untreatable condition caused by abnormally low eye pressure. The research, published the British Journal of Ophthalmology, indicates that ocular injections containing HPMC (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose) – a low-cost gel used in most eye surgery - can be safely used to increase the volume of eyes with hypotony, increasing both their size and pressure. Remarkably, in addition to restoring the eye’s anatomy, patients also regained sight. Seven of the eight patients who received the treatment experienced improvements in vision, eye pressure and length restoration after a twelve-month course of treatment. These all came from the world’s first dedicated hypotony clinic, enabled by funding from Moorfields Eye Charity. 🗣️ Moorfields consultant ophthalmologist Harry Petrushkin, lead author of the study, said: “We are excited that this simple treatment has proved so effective for patients with this rare condition. This is the start of a process of understanding more about the balance of fluid inside the eye, leading to improved care for our patients.” 💬 Co-author Professor Gus Gazzard (UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital) commented: “This is a truly transformative new therapy that brings hope to patients otherwise without options, for what was previously an untreatable blinding and disfiguring condition. This robust proof of principle study has already exceeded my hopes of what sight recovery might be achievable."