If you have ever wondered what life will be like in the next couple decades, you are not alone. Optometrists are continually working to stay abreast of vision trends. This is an essential part of our job! Will people still be wearing glasses in the year 2040? Will all children be born with perfect eyesight by 2050? Let’s look at what the research says on the subject. It makes for interesting reading!
Many vision problems are inherited. That means they are passed down genetically from one generation to the next. At the same time, many researchers are looking to disrupt this trend and change visual impairment forever. One such device that is receiving excitement and acclaim is the ‘bionic eye.’ These are prosthetics that are implanted into the eye socket and are capable of restoring vision in varying degrees.
Brain surgery anyone? Meanwhile, there are also investigations underway that intend to forgo the eye in favor of interacting with the part of the brain that controls visual processing. The aim is to ‘deliver electric impulses’ that stimulate light patterns. This research is in the very early stages but is just another example of how research is reconsidering ways to intervene in current sight problems and perhaps bring about revolutionary and permanent changes to human sight.
Gene therapy is still another cutting-edge innovation that is being harnessed by medical professionals in every field, so it is not unexpected that vision researchers would be using it to intervene in vision studies. As with the previously highlighted concepts, these inquiries are in their earliest stages. That is to say that the work of gene replacement for certain vision diseases is currently being conducted on mice but it shows promise!
If all of this sounds fascinating, there are still other changes on the horizon of vision care as well. For instance, that smartphone you carry with you everywhere may one day be a diagnostic device that will allow your optometrist to conduct a vision exam on you wherever you are, forgoing the conventional visit to the office.
And…3D and digital contact lenses are on the horizon. These, too, will change your ability to see the world around you. Moreover, researchers are attempting to harness your vision as a means of identifying other forms of disease through a single teardrop and from the comfort of your smartphone!
Leave it to the experts at See Island Eyecare to keep you up-to-date on the latest news in eye care. Count on us to tend to all your visual needs. Please contact us for an appointment. We look forward to serving you!