EYE DOCTOR SAYS:

THE EYE PROFESSION THINKS AN EYEDROP THAT COULD CURE CATARACT
WOULD BE “TOO MUNDANE”, “TOO BORING”, AND “NOT WORTHY OF THEIR INVOLVEMENT”.

Question and Answer Session with Eye Doctor

Yesterday, I again visited my eye doctor to re-evaluate my cataracts.

Previously, I had shown her the patent specification on the cyclic amide which was claimed to reverse human senile cataract in just one week.  She said she had read it, and was quite impressed.  I had also previously mentioned N-acetylcysteine amide (NACA), which had reversed severe cataracts in an animal model in one month.

The following is a brief record of the discussion we had. 

Q:  Doctor, in view of the fact that there are at least 2 potential cataract reversal eyedrop agents discovered in the last 30 years, which were found to be safe and effective based on animal trials, one of which was also tested on human cataracts already, why on earth has the eye profession done nothing to start clinical trials of these agents?  Why is the world population still being denied a simpler, safer solution?

A: I also want to have an eyedrop which I could give my patients, but since there isn’t one, my hands are tied.  I am forced to send them to surgery, although I really don’t want to.  When you ask patients here and there who have had the surgery - they have a wide range of complaints such as glare from lights, shedding tears, or foreign object sensation.  But that’s only to be expected - after all, a plastic IOL is not something natural, it’s a foreign object as far as the eye is concerned.  

Why is there no eyedrop?  My profession thinks that a simple eyedrop which could cure cataract would be far too mundane, too boring, to be worthy of their involvement.  They just wouldn’t be satisfied unless they did the surgery.

Q: Who wouldn’t be satisfied? The doctors, or the patients?

A:  The doctors.

Q:  I see.  Thankyou Doctor, for being so frank.

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I immediately telephoned the helpline of my local health authority, and the following exchange ensued:

Q: I just saw my eye doctor, and she said that despite the existence of eyedrops that could potentially cure cataract, the eye profession thinks a simple eyedrop would be too mundane and too boring, and that they wouldn’t be satisfied unless they did surgery.   What do you think about that?

A: Oh, that’s just because they’re making lots of money from the surgery, isn’t it?  There’s nothing we can do about that, we have no control over it.  We have no authority to tell them what to do.   We recommend you approach a pharmaceutical company to see if they would be interested in making and testing eyedrops.

Q:  But pharmaceutical companies won’t listen to suggestions from patients, only from ophthalmologists.

A:  That’s true.  Well, then, there’s nothing more we can do.  Goodbye.