‘When I was driving at night the glare was unbearable. That problem’s gone. It’s been a saviour. I would say that the mask has given me my life back – not only can I see so much clearer, but it has enabled me to carry out my job safely again.”

That quote is from Michelangelo Biasiucci, a 64 year old from London who is one of many to have benefited from Noctura 400,  a facemask designed to treat diabetics at risk of blindness.

Healthy individuals get an adequate flow of blood and oxygen to their eyes, however, those with advanced diabetes do not since they tend to have narrower and weaker blood vessels incapable of meeting the required oxygen demand. Even though the body attempts to compensate by growing more blood vessels, the new ones tend to be weak, causing fluid leaks and ultimately damaging surface of the retina. Night time usually elevates this because adapting to the dark means higher demand for oxygen by the eyes. Over a period of time, individuals form dark spots in their vision and can possibly lose their sight in the long run.

To prevent vision loss because of this, diabetics can wear the Noctura 400 which emits a green light on a wavelength that is absorbed by the cells in our eyes that provide night time vision. At night, the cells are tricked into remaining in their daytime state so they don’t demand more oxygen and ultimately create more leaky vessels.

When people with diabetic retinopathy lose vision, they can get injections in their eyes that can stop the growth of new vessels, however, they are a lot more intrusive, uncomfortable, risky, and expensive. Noctura 400 is a non-intrusive and non-surgical home treatment that works when the patient is sleeping.

In a clinical trial involving 48 patients who wore this mask every night, 42 of them saw significant improvement in their vision. Following years of clinical trials on the British-made Noctura 400, Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Surrey has put it to use on patients with diabetic retinopathy.

Watch the videos below and hit the source link to learn more about Noctura 400.

Source: Daily Mail

The post Noctura 400 Is A Facemask That Can Prevent Vision Loss Caused From Diabetes appeared first on Assistive Technology Blog.