Israeli Ophthalmologists Develop Revolutionary Eye Drops That Can Soon Replace Glasses and Contact Lenses

“Nano-Drops,” based on the research of scientists Prof. Jean-Paul Lellouche and Prof. Zeev Zalevsky of Bar-Ilan University (BIU), and Dr. David Smadja of Shaare Zedek Medical Center and BIU, has the potential to relieve the need for eyeglasses and contact lenses. The treatment for a variety of refractive errors has already undergone successful in-vitro testing in pigs’ eyes, which have corneas similar to those of humans. The drops are made of a synthetic nanoparticle solution, and they do not need to be personalized other than by prescription number. In addition to the drops, a smartphone application featuring a laser to help the user pinpoint the area on which to apply the drops is also under development. The application is for home use, allowing for vision correction without complex medical intervention. Further testing is needed to address the period of effectiveness of the drops, and another round of trials, this time on rabbits, will be conducted before the drops are tested on humans. The team is working to build a biotech start-up for marketing the drops, which they expect to sell at a reasonable price, similar to that of glasses and contact lenses.