From the future-tech-to-definitely-try-out department comes word that we may soon get a bionic eye that offers “three times better than 20/20 [vision]” for life. Yes, you read that right.
An optometrist from British Columbia claims to have done exactly that. Dr. Garth Webb, the creator, has dubbed the revolutionary device the Ocumetrics Bionic Lens, which appears to be very similar in design to conventional lenses employed in cataract surgery.
The device is planted in an eight-minute installation procedure that is reportedly painless. Basically, they inject the lens into your eyes where it positions itself into place to replace your natural lenses. On top of correcting your vision for life, the lenses will stop cataracts from developing too.
All this sounds too good to be true, and there’s a very good reason to be skeptical. The technology is still untested and there’s not much information available on how exactly the device works. Dr. Webb presented the research at the Latin American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons’ annual conference earlier this year. Yet, it’s not know whether the technology is safe or effective.
Dr. Webb’s company, Ocumetrics Technology Corp, plans to test the lenses on animals before moving on to human testing. There’s no guarantee it will work as promised, but if everything goes according to plan, you can expect to replace your eyes within a few short years.
