Oxford, New Adjustable Lenses for Poor Countries

Oxford University physicist, Joshua Silver, has developed a technology for ophthalmic lenses that allows new 'adjustable' lenses to be produced for the correction of near and long-sightedness (but not astigmatism). Their special feature is that wearers can adjust the gradient of each lens to suit themselves.

The product, subsidized in part by the Department for International Development in the UK, opens up new possibilities, especially in those parts of the world where there is either a lack of qualified personnel or the money needed to consult a specialist. Adjustment of the curve, and therefore the strength of the lenses, is determined by the wearer of the glasses: the lenses are filled with silicon from a syringe and the gradient varies according to the amount of liquid inserted. The diopters available range from +6 to -6, and the vision quality guaranteed is comparable to that of the human eye.

Doctors in Ghana are experimenting with these lenses. The Ghana Ministry of Health intends to buy 400 thousand pairs of glasses of this type. For the moment, funds are lacking (they cost 10 dollars a pair) but a request for funding has already been made to the World Bank. As in many poor countries, problems of impaired sight are rarely tackled in the African state because of the high cost of visits and the distances from hospitals. According to World Health Organization figures, 180 million people suffer from impaired vision, 90% of whom live in poor countries.