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Scientists have created the world's first drug that slows the development of cataracts
Last reviewed: 30.06.2025
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Scientists who have created the world's first drug that slows the development of cataracts and delays their formation have been named among five finalists in a business project competition organised by the University of Queensland (Australia).
The only existing method of treating cataracts is surgical removal of the clouded lens and its replacement with a synthetic one.
Calpain Therapeutics' drug targets a protein in eye tissue that, when activated by various triggers, including those associated with aging, causes the lens to cloud. Severe cataracts are a leading cause of blindness.
Although most cataracts develop as people age, they can sometimes be triggered by diabetes, eye trauma, exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun, long-term use of steroid medications, smoking, and excessive alcohol use. The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness estimates that nearly 18 million people today are blind due to cataracts, many of whom live in poor countries.
There are currently no drugs that can prevent or reverse cataracts. The only treatment is surgical removal of the clouded lens and replacement with a synthetic one. More than 200,000 such operations are performed each year in Australia and about 3.4 million in the United States.
Testing of the drug developed by Calpain Therapeutics has shown that it significantly slows down the progression of cataracts. The drug can be released in the form of drops or cream, which should be applied to the eyes every night before going to bed. Well, cataracts can be detected at an early stage with a routine eye examination. As soon as the disease is diagnosed, you can start taking a new drug that will slow the progression of the disease. Even if cataracts are only in one eye, there is a high probability that it will affect the second one, so both eyes should be treated.
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