????曼德爾解釋道：“它的原理非常簡單。眼內壓會導致設備內的液柱位置變化，然后讀取它的讀數即可，原理很像溫度計。”

????青光眼專家們都對這款設備表示歡迎，并表示它與以往的測量方法相比有很多優點，包括它可以顯示讀數，而且可以隨時監測。

????美國青光眼研究基金會（Glaucoma Research Foundation）的董事會主席、舊金山青光眼中心常務主任安德魯?伊瓦施表示：“如果患者做了白內障手術的話，如果在做手術的同時，你把這款設備植入進去，那么就能更精確地監測眼壓，這是有巨大好處的。”伊瓦施還是青光眼基金會“青光眼360”活動的發起人，這個活動旨在召集青光眼研究專家、行業高管和慈善人士來尋找治療青光眼的方法。

????他表示：“因此，如果你看看風險收益比，問題就不會是你為什么要植入，而是你為什么不植入。”

????歐洲也有一款類似的可以隨時測量眼壓的設備，名叫Sensimed Triggerfish。不過這款接觸式鏡片傳感器并非直接測量眼壓，導致測量結果精確度不高。另外根據《眼科學報》（Arch of Ophthalmol）2012年的一份研究顯示，它會導致80%的患者出現視覺模糊和其它負作用。

????伊瓦施指出，由于美國市場缺乏一款可以測量眼壓的可靠設備，現在至少有五家以上的公司都在這個領域進行競爭，他們都希望能第一個在美國市場上推出植入式眼壓測量設備。

????伊瓦施表示：“這是一場令人興奮的競爭。大家都意識到，第一個進入市場、第一個知道怎樣最好地測量眼壓的公司，可能會給青光眼的治療帶來革命性的效果，而且最終會造福患者。”

????雖然上文提到的這款微傳感器還是該領域的第一款設備，但它離正式商用還有好幾年。目前它只在豬身上測試過。因此曼德爾表示，下一步重點是要進一步深入研究，以確保它對人體的安全性，并且確保它能長期妥善地存在于眼部。

????曼德爾表示：“作為科學家，我們總是對我們和其他人做的事感到懷疑。不過雖然前路還有一些挑戰需要克服，但這款設備的確帶給我們很多希望。”（財富中文網）

????譯者：樸成奎

????“It looks very simple,” Mandel said. “The pressure in the eye causes a shift in the position of the fluid column in the device which then can be read much like the temperature in a thermometer.”

????Glaucoma experts welcomed news of the device, saying it offers several advantages over the current methods including that it reads the pressure and does it around the clock.

????“If patient comes in for cataract surgery and, if at the same time you can implant the device that would allow monitoring IOP more accurately and remotely, that has a huge benefit,” Dr. Andrew Iwach, chairman of board for the Glaucoma Research Foundation and executive director Glaucoma Center of San Francisco said. He also founded the foundation’s annual event, Glaucoma 360, which brings together researchers, industry executives and philanthropist to find a cure for glaucoma.

????“So if you look at the risk benefit ratio the question wouldn’t be why did you put it in but why you didn’t put it in,” he said.

????There is a similar device available in Europe to measure pressure around the clock called the Sensimed Triggerfish. But this contact lens sensor doesn’t measure the eye pressure directly, which makes it less accurate and, according to a 2012 study in Arch of Ophthalmol, caused blurred vision and other adverse reactions in over 80 percent of the patients.

????Iwach said the lack of a reliable device to measure pressure in the American market has prompted a competition of sorts with at least five companies vying to be the first to get a device inserted into the eye, which transmits an electronic signal out onto the American market.

????“This is an exciting a horse race,” Iwach said. “Different camps realize the first to market, the one who figures out how to do this best, is going to potentially revolutionize how we manage glaucoma and ultimately patients will be better for it.”

????While showing promise to be the first, the latest device still is several years away from being commercially feasible. It has only been tested in pigs so the next step, Mandel said, is to do further research to ensure the device is safe in humans and can remain in the eye for an extended period of time.

????“As scientist we are always skeptical about what we and others do,” Mandel said. “There are challenges that have to overcome but this device shows a lot of promise.”