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Breakthrough treatment reverses vision loss in hypotony patients
Doctors at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London have successfully restored sight in patients with hypotony, a rare but severe eye condition that can lead to blindness. A pilot study reveals seven out of eight patients responded to an innovative gel-based therapy, marking a world first for the dedicated clinic.
A life transformed: Nicki Guy's story
Nicki Guy, 47, became the first patient to receive the treatment. She describes the results as "life-changing," regaining the ability to see her child grow up. Previously, she relied on memory to navigate her home and used a magnifying glass for close-up tasks due to severely blurred vision.
"I've gone from counting fingers to reading most lines on an eye test chart," she said. "I'm just one line away from the legal requirement for driving. If my vision stays like this, I'll be absolutely thrilled-even if I never drive again."
Understanding hypotony and its risks
Hypotony occurs when pressure inside the eyeball drops dangerously low, causing it to collapse inward. This can result from trauma, inflammation, eye surgery, or certain medications. Without intervention, the condition often leads to irreversible blindness.
Traditional treatments, such as steroids or silicone oil injections, provide limited relief. While silicone oil can temporarily restore eye shape, it often causes blurry vision and long-term toxicity, failing to preserve sight effectively.
A transparent solution: The science behind the breakthrough
Moorfields' team turned to hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPCM), a low-cost, water-based gel already used in some eye surgeries. Instead of a one-time application, they injected it into the eye as a recurring therapy.
Nicki's journey began in 2017 after her son's birth, when her right eye collapsed due to hypotony. Silicone oil treatments proved ineffective, and years later, her left eye began deteriorating similarly. Determined to find a solution, she and her doctor, Harry Petrushkin, opted for the experimental gel treatment.
"The idea of potentially harming someone with a treatment that might not work was nerve-wracking," Petrushkin said. "But the results exceeded our wildest expectations."
Harry Petrushkin, Moorfields Eye Hospital
Promising results and future potential
The treatment involves injections every three to four weeks over approximately 10 months. So far, 35 patients have undergone the procedure, with outcomes for the first eight published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. Funding from the Moorfields Eye Charity made the research possible.
Petrushkin emphasized that success depends on whether patients retain viable vision cells at the back of the eye. "With Nicki, we knew there was vision to regain if we could restore her eye's shape," he explained. "The results are promising, but it's still early days."
If refined, the therapy could benefit hundreds or thousands of patients annually in the UK alone.
