07/05/2025
Shock wave therapy shows promise for treating loss of focus in eyes and early cataracts
Ophthalmologists may soon harness the power of sound waves to treat age-related vision problems like presbyopia and cataracts. At the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting, Dr. Ronald Krueger presented extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) as a potential non-invasive treatment that could reshape the future of eye care.
Though ESWT has long been used in medicine — such as for breaking up kidney stones — its use in ophthalmology is relatively new. Dr. Krueger explained that unlike traditional laser surgery, which uses light, ESWT uses sound waves to soften and break apart hardened eye tissues. Since aging causes the eye’s lens and surrounding structures to stiffen, this approach could help restore flexibility and clarity.
In studies using animal models, shock wave therapy improved lens elasticity and reduced early signs of cataracts. Krueger envisions a future where presbyopia, the age-related loss of near vision, could be treated annually using shock waves to preserve the lens’s natural function and delay cataract development.
If proven effective in humans, this therapy could offer a non-surgical, repeatable way to maintain healthy vision as we age — possibly within the next five years.
Source: Krueger RR. The laser vision correction journey: Step into my time machine. Presented at: American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting; April 25-28, 2025; Los Angeles.
