Professor Barbara Pierscionek

In an international study, led by Professor Barbara Pierscionek from Anglia Ruskin University in the UK, a new drop treatment for cataracts has shown positive results, leading to hope that an alternative to surgery could soon be possible.

Published in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, the study involved advanced optical tests on the oxysterol compound VP1-001 (lanosterol), currently being investigated as an anti-presbyopia drop, for cataract treatment. Two weeks’ VP1-001 treatment showed a reduction in apparent lens opacity grade by 1.0 in 46% of live mice and an improvement in refractive index profiles in 61% of lenses.

“This study has shown the positive effects of a compound that had been proposed as an anti-cataract drug but never before tested on the optics of the lens. It is the first research of this kind in the world,” said Prof Pierscionek. “Improvements occurred in some types of cataract but not in all, indicating that this may be a treatment for specific cataracts. This suggests distinctions may need to be made between cataract types when developing anti-cataract medications. It is a significant step forward towards treating this extremely common condition with drugs rather than surgery.”