Glaucoma lens breakthrough

CONTACT lenses that release controlled doses of a drug to treat glaucoma could help save millions of people from loss of vision.

The lenses carry a thin film around the edge that releases the drug gradually.

They were found to be as effective, or even more so, than the eye drops now used to treat the condition, which affects over half a million people in England and Wales.

Lead author Doctor Joseph Ciolino, of Harvard Medical School in the US, said: “The lenses have the potential to improve compliance for patients, and to provide better pressure reduction than the drops.”