Experts 'filler' treatment to restore sight in people with rare condition

PEOPLE with a rare condition that causes blindness have had their sight restored with injections of a low-cost gel used in most eye surgeries.

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The process, which restores pressure in the eye to improve vision, is “not dissimilar to cosmetic fillers”, specialists said.

One patient included in the study has since been able to take her son skiing and is hopeful of driving again.

The new way of treating hypotony, which affects about 100 people in the UK each year, causing abnormally low pressure in the eye that alters its shape, was led by Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, with funding from Moorfields Eye Charity.

Specialists injected the eyes of hypotony patients with HPMC - hydroxypropyl methylcellulose - a clear and colourless gel.

HPMC is usually used in surgery to maintain the eye's shape during operations, or to coat its surface for protection and to prevent it from drying out.