A study by an Academia Sinica research team showed that a remedy used for nearly 60 years -- eye drops containing pirenoxine (PRX) --- was effective in reducing opacity in cataracts, the research institution said in a statement on Wednesday.
A cataract is cloudiness in the natural lens and often leads to vision impairment, especially among the elderly. The study found that PRX reduces opacity by binding to calcium and selenite, two minerals whose increased concentrations result in the loss of eye transparency.
"The finding not only gives scientific support to the use of PRX in cataract treatment and but serves as a reference for biological studies, " said Wu Shih-hsiung, the team leader and a distinguished research fellow at the institute.
Taiwan has an estimated 120,000 cataract patients per year, and surgery is the most popular treatment in recovering blurry vision, but the researchers said the study could pave the way for the further use of PRX as a bona fide treatment for the condition.
In Taiwan, PRX eye drops are available only through prescription, but in several Asian countries they are available over the counter.
The study was published in the online edition of Inorganic Chemistry, one of the journals published by the American Chemical Society, on Dec. 7, 2010. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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