Millions of people struggle with vision problems and turn to glasses, contacts, or surgery to see clearly. For decades, LASIK has been the most popular corrective surgery, using lasers to carve the cornea into a shape that focuses light correctly. While effective, LASIK comes with risks, including dry eyes, complications during healing, and in rare cases, permanent vision problems. Now, a surprising new discovery may offer a safer, simpler alternative that does not involve cutting the eye at all.
A Discovery Born From Mistake
The breakthrough began when Michael Hill, a chemistry professor at Occidental College, and Brian Wong, a surgeon and professor at the University of California, Irvine, were experimenting with ways to reshape cartilage. They were trying to heat tissue with electricity when Hill accidentally applied far less current than expected. Instead of burning or bubbling, the cartilage softened without heat.
Wong recalled, “That’s hydrogen and oxygen being evolved, so the discovery was entirely by accident on cartilage—100 percent by accident.” The pair soon realized that electricity had changed the tissue’s chemistry, making it temporarily moldable. What started as a failed attempt with cartilage opened the door to a completely new way of reshaping eyes.
How Electromechanical Reshaping Works
The method is called electromechanical reshaping, or EMR. Instead of a laser, doctors apply a small electric current through a specialized platinum “contact lens” shaped like a corrected cornea. The electricity lowers the tissue’s pH, loosening bonds in the cornea’s collagen. This makes the cornea soft and pliable, like clay. When the electric current stops and the tissue returns to its normal pH, it locks into the new shape.
In experiments with rabbit eyes, the process took about one minute—similar to LASIK’s speed but without cutting, burning, or removing tissue. Out of 12 rabbit eyes tested, 10 that had simulated nearsightedness were successfully reshaped to improve their focusing power. The researchers even found signs that EMR could reverse corneal cloudiness caused by chemical damage, a condition that normally requires a transplant.
Safer Than Traditional LASIK?
Because EMR avoids cutting or removing tissue, experts believe it could reduce many of LASIK’s risks. Dr. James R. Kelly, an ophthalmologist not involved in the study, explained that with EMR, “There’s no flap to dislocate, no laser-induced tissue removal, and less disturbance to the corneal nerve supply.” This could mean fewer cases of dry eyes and other complications. He added that if EMR turns out to be reversible, it would offer a major safety advantage over LASIK.
Still, researchers caution that the work is in very early stages. While tests show that cells survive the treatment and the collagen structure remains intact, it is unclear whether the reshaping will last long-term. The cornea is a living tissue that can change over time with aging, healing, or inflammation, so the durability of EMR remains an open question.
Hill and Wong plan to continue with detailed animal studies before moving on to human trials. They also want to test how well EMR can correct different vision problems, including nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Funding challenges have slowed their progress, but Hill remains hopeful. “There’s a long road between what we’ve done and the clinic,” he said, “but if we get there, this technique is widely applicable, vastly cheaper, and potentially even reversible.”
If proven safe and effective, EMR could transform how millions of people improve their eyesight, offering a gentler and more accessible path to clear vision without relying on lasers.
