Overview

• At the American Chemical Society meeting, researchers reported that a platinum “contact lens” electrode reshaped ex vivo rabbit corneas in about a minute and achieved targeted focusing power in all 10 eyeballs modeled as myopic.
• The technique, called electromechanical reshaping, applies brief electrical pulses that lower local pH to loosen ionic bonds in collagen, then the cornea holds the new form as pH returns to normal.
• Optical coherence tomography, second-harmonic generation, and confocal microscopy indicated controlled contouring with preservation of macromolecular collagen structure and stromal cell viability.
• To prevent opacity, the team delivered the electrical dose in bursts to reach a softening pH near 2 without dropping to the clouding threshold around 1.5, refining control compared with earlier attempts.
• Live-animal studies will test durability and broaden indications such as hyperopia, astigmatism, and clouding reversal, though timelines are uncertain due to funding constraints and the long preclinical path.