In recent years, millions of individuals worldwide have grappled with various forms of impaired vision, from mild blurriness to severe blindness. While corrective lenses such as glasses and contact lenses offer non-invasive solutions, many seek permanent alternatives that eliminate daily dependence on visual aids. Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis, widely known as LASIK, currently stands as the dominant surgical procedure for vision correction, reshaping the cornea with precision laser technology to remedy issues like myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Despite its prevalence and general safety profile, LASIK’s reliance on laser ablation introduces risks and complications, including compromised corneal integrity and postoperative side effects that have sparked calls for alternative methods.
Addressing these concerns, a remarkable breakthrough has emerged from the labs of Occidental College and the University of California, Irvine. Researchers Michael Hill and Brian Wong have pioneered an innovative technique known as electromechanical reshaping (EMR), which circumvents the need for lasers or incisions by harnessing precise electrochemical modulation to alter corneal shape. This approach promises the benefits of refractive surgery without its traditional drawbacks, presenting a non-invasive, cost-effective, and potentially reversible solution to vision correction. Their findings, demonstrated initially on ex vivo rabbit corneas, were recently unveiled at the American Chemical Society’s Fall 2025 meeting, signaling a new frontier in ophthalmologic research.
The cornea functions as the eye’s primary refractive surface, responsible for approximately two-thirds of the eye’s focusing power. Its dome-like curvature bends incoming light toward the retina, enabling clear vision. This curvature is maintained by a complex extracellular matrix rich in collagen, characterized by molecular precision and structural integrity. However, congenital abnormalities, injuries, or progressive diseases may distort the corneal shape, leading to visual impairment. Traditionally, LASIK reshapes the cornea through laser ablation that removes specific amounts of tissue, but this approach permanently weakens the corneal stroma and carries risks such as dry eyes, halos, or reduced night vision. Recognizing these limitations, the EMR approach uses electrochemical principles to modulate corneal tissue without removing physical material.
The crux of EMR technology lies in its application of controlled electric potentials to the corneal tissue, effectively altering its local pH environment. Biological collagen-containing tissues are stabilized by ionic interactions between oppositely charged molecular groups embedded within a hydrated extracellular matrix. When a precise electrochemical pulse is applied through platinum electrodes shaped like contact lenses, the resulting localized change in pH transiently disrupts these ionic bonds, softening the tissue’s structure. This transient malleability allows mechanical reshaping of the cornea’s curvature to a desired configuration. Once the electric stimulus is removed, the tissue’s pH naturally equilibrates back to physiological levels, restoring ionic cross-linking and effectively ‘locking in’ the new shape.
Hill and Wong’s team demonstrated this technique on ex vivo rabbit eyeballs by fitting a platinum-coated lens electrode designed to mimic the ideal corneal curvature. Immersed in saline to replicate natural tear fluid, the corneas underwent brief (approximately one minute) pulses of low electric potential that initiated proton diffusion into the stroma, thereby destabilizing collagen bonds just enough to allow shape remodeling. Remarkably, the treated corneas conformed reliably to the desired curvature dictated by the platinum lens template. Optical coherence tomography and second-harmonic generation microscopy confirmed that the underlying collagen architecture remained intact during and after the procedure, an important indicator of tissue viability and safety.
Crucially, viability assays showed that keratocytes and stromal cells survived these electrochemical treatments unscathed due to the carefully controlled pH gradients and short treatment durations. This finding is vital for potential clinical applications, since the preservation of living cells within the cornea is essential for maintaining transparency, nutrient exchange, and wound healing responses. Furthermore, the EMR treatment exhibited the ability to reverse certain corneal opacities caused by chemical damage in separate experiments, which heralds potential therapeutic uses beyond refractive correction, including treatment of corneal scars and early-stage cloudiness without resorting to full corneal transplantation.
The research group conducted 12 trials on rabbit eyeballs, 10 modeled to simulate nearsightedness by inducing steeper corneal curvatures. Each application of EMR tailored the focal power precisely, demonstrating its potential to not only halt visual decline but improve refractive error with exceptional precision. Importantly, the entire operation required equipment less complex and less costly than that used in laser surgeries. This simplicity and reduced invasiveness could make the technology accessible in lower-resource settings, greatly expanding the reach of vision correction worldwide.
While these initial results are promising, the investigators stress that their findings represent an early-stage proof of concept that must undergo rigorous validation in living animal models and eventually human clinical trials. The next phases will involve assessing long-term stability, tissue remodeling at the molecular level, and potential responses to blinking and eye movements in vivo. Additionally, the team plans to explore EMR’s efficacy in correcting a full range of refractive errors, including farsightedness and astigmatism, as well as determining safety margins and optimization parameters for different patient profiles.
From a mechanistic standpoint, EMR leverages the fundamental chemistry of charged biomolecules within the corneal stroma, disrupting and then reinstating ionic bonds. Unlike mechanical cutting or laser ablation, EMR modifies a tissue’s biomechanical state temporarily at the molecular level, offering a reversible approach to reshaping soft tissues. Such a paradigm shift could extend beyond ophthalmology to other regenerative medicine applications where non-invasive tissue remodeling might restore form and function without surgery.
Despite the scientific enthusiasm, the development of EMR faces challenges, notably securing consistent funding for continued research and clinical translation. Forward progress hinges on well-designed animal studies that rigorously mimic clinical scenarios, and subsequent human trials, to prove safety, efficacy, and durability. However, if successful, this technology represents a groundbreaking advance that could transform the field of vision correction by providing a painless, accessible alternative to current laser-based procedures.
The implications of EMR extend well beyond individual patients—revolutionizing the economics and logistics of vision care globally. By eliminating expensive laser equipment and reducing procedural complexity, EMR could democratize access to refractive surgery, especially in underserved populations. Its potential for reversibility offers an additional safety net absent in traditional surgery, empowering patients with greater confidence and customization of their treatment outcomes.
In summary, the electromechanical reshaping technique presented by Hill, Wong, and their colleagues offers a bold new avenue for correcting vision impairment by harnessing chemistry and physics at the interface of biology and engineering. With further development, EMR may provide a safer, more affordable, and widely available alternative to LASIK and related laser surgeries, addressing critical unmet needs in ophthalmology. The journey from bench to bedside remains long but hopeful, promising a future where clear vision can be achieved without cutting or lasers—transforming countless lives worldwide.
Subject of Research: Electromechanical reshaping of the cornea as a non-incisional alternative for vision correction.
Article Title: Electrochemical Corneal Refraction: A Laser-Free Approach to Vision Correction
News Publication Date: August 18, 2025
Web References:
- ACS Fall 2025 Program: https://acs.digitellinc.com/live/35/page/1204
- Session “Electrochemical corneal refraction”: https://acs.digitellinc.com/live/35/session/563514
- Session “Electromechanical corneal reshaping for refractive vision correction”: https://acs.digitellinc.com/live/35/session/565159
- Session “Optical coherence elastography-guided evaluation of corneal biomechanical properties following pulsed potentiometric electromechanical reshaping”: https://acs.digitellinc.com/live/35/session/560791
Image Credits: Daniel Kim and Mimi Chen
Keywords
Chemistry, Health and Medicine, Ophthalmology
