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Ciliary muscle electrostimulation may delay early presbyopia
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CHICAGO — Electrostimulation of the ciliary muscle is a noninvasive method to delay early presbyopia in patients between the ages of 40 and 50 years, according to a speaker here.
Patients who underwent four 8-minute ciliary body electrostimulation treatments in 2 months, and then an additional 8-minute treatment once every 3 months, saw an improvement in their near vision and reading speed time.
“We saw, since the second treatment, a significant improvement in near vision,” Luca Gualdi, MD, said at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting. Also after the second treatment, almost a one-line improvement in intermediate vision was seen, he said.
Gualdi and colleagues included 46 subjects with mild presbyopia in their study. Using a ciliary body electrostimulator device, the researchers exercised the ciliary muscle by providing the eye with a mild electric current. The intention of the device, which is CE marked in Europe, is to strengthen the ciliary muscle by repeatedly activating and exercising it.
Gualdi noted the procedure was not painful for the subjects.
“People also tend to read better at home, so we measured the reading speed time and found an improvement in the words per minute and the time they could read the sentences,” Gualdi said.
The benefits did not last long term if the subjects did not receive “maintenance” treatment, Gualdi said. Patients experienced the benefits if they continued with a treatment once every 3 months after the initial 2-month treatment. – by Robert Linnehan
Reference:
Gualdi L. Electrostimulation of the ciliary muscle as a new non-invasive technique to restore accommodation in early presbyopia. Presented at: American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting; Oct. 14-18, 2016; Chicago.
Disclosure: Gualdi reports no relevant financial disclosures.