Eyeworld

EW NEWS & OPINION March 2015 43 by Matt Young and Gloria D. Gamat EyeWorld Contributing Writers eyesight in hazardous environments. Later on, this same technology was applied to sunglasses and introduced to the public under the name Sun Tiger, known today as Eagle Eyes Optics (Van Nuys, Calif.). Eagle Eyes Optics lenses can ab- sorb 99+% of all photo wavelengths considered hazardous to human eye tissue—including UVA, UVB, and blue light up to 475 nm. According to certain scientific studies, this range is the most beneficial to the human eye for protection and in- creased visual perception, contrast, and reduced chromatic aberration. NASA innovation: Excimer laser (for the heart) This much is clear: NASA did not invent the excimer laser. A group of Russians did at the Lebedev Physical Institute in Moscow. However, while certain groups focused on pioneering the use of the excimer laser for eye surgery, NASA innovation in the excimer laser led to angioplasty innovation. With the Dymer 200+ excimer angioplasty system (Advanced In- terventional Systems, Irvine, Calif.), physicians beginning in the 1990s had a powerful weapon in the war against heart disease. A laser system first used for satellite-based atmo- spheric studies was reapplied to treat atherosclerosis. needed a special coating to pro- tect space equipment, particularly astronaut helmet visors. Recognizing an opportunity, the Foster-Grant sunglasses manufacturer licensed the NASA technology for its products. The special plastics coating made its sunglasses scratch-resistant 10 times longer compared to standard plastics. NASA innovation: Ultraviolet filtering Eagle Eyes technology is a result of technology that began with research at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in the 1960s in order to devel- op protection for human eyesight from the harmful effects of solar ra- diation—specifically, ultraviolet and blue light rays, which are known contributing factors to cataract and age-related macular degeneration. NASA researchers learned that the eyes of an eagle contain oil droplets that filter out harmful radiation and permit only specific wavelengths of light to enter, thus giving these birds of prey extreme visual clarity even at great distances. This natural system of how the eagle eye works was replicated using an advanced formula that was successfully applied to the first trans- parent welding curtain to filter out harmful light and protect human How space innovation led to vision improvements L ong before the recently announced Vision for Mars Challenge sought to develop innovative technologies for ocular health in space, NASA and vision care were intertwined. Throughout the years, the impact of NASA's innovations has impacted eyecare for the betterment of vision. Here are some examples of that relationship, gleaned from NASA itself. NASA innovation: Coated-plastic lenses Nowadays, if you drop a pair of eyeglasses on the ground, the lenses will probably not break. That is thanks to the Food and Drug Ad- ministration (FDA) because in 1972 it began requiring manufacturers to use shatter-resistant material, which essentially meant plastics. Plastics are cheaper to use, bet- ter at absorbing ultraviolet radiation, lighter, and not prone to shatter- ing. Nevertheless, they also have an Achilles heel—uncoated plastics tend to scratch easily, and scuffed lenses could impair someone's sight. Because of dirt and particles found in space environments, NASA From NASA to vision care The Dymer 200+ excimer an- gioplasty system vaporized block- ages in coronary arteries without damaging arterial walls. The device received FDA approval in January 1992 for treatment of heart disease. Compared to coronary bypass, laser angioplasty is less expensive, as well as minimally invasive, and therefore less risky. Furthermore, lasers could help a broader range of patients than another bypass alternative— balloon angioplasty. And NASA had something to do with this. The Dymer 200+ excimer angioplasty system utilized excimer laser technology pioneered at NASA's JPL for remote sensing of the ozone layer. While other types of lasers such as CO2 and Nd:YAG have surgi- cal applications, they are too hot for delicate coronary surgery and could damage tissue, cause blood vessel spasms, or create blood clots. On the other hand, the excimer is a "cool" laser that utilizes ultraviolet light energy to operate at a temperature human tissue can tolerate. Today, applications of the exci- mer laser are widely used in refrac- tive surgery, thanks to its "cool" fea- ture. And while NASA may have had more to do with modern angioplasty than LASIK, that's changing. Source: NASA continued on page 44

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