Although the left eye improved, Guy still faces vision challenges and reports an enhanced sense of independence and emotional relief following the treatment.

The procedure functions like a cosmetic filler to restore normal eye shape and pressure, facilitating vision improvement, with seven of eight patients showing restoration over 12 months.

Prior standard treatment used silicone oil, which could cause toxicity; HPMC is presented as a safer, cost-effective alternative.

Experts caution it is not a cure for blindness, but the treatment could benefit patients with residual vision and there are plans for larger trials to optimize gel selection and injection frequency.

A Moorfields-backed study treated eight patients with injections every two weeks over a year using hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) gel, a low-cost alternative to silicone oil for managing hypotony-related vision loss.

Patients showed improvements in visual clarity and eye pressure, with consultant Harry Petrushkin noting the initial vision was very poor and improved substantially over time.

Leaders emphasized that HPMC injections carry no toxicity risk compared with traditional silicone oil, highlighting a safer profile for this approach.

Nicki Guy, a 47-year-old Londoner and communications officer for the Thomas Pocklington Trust, regained substantial vision in her left eye after the treatment and has since become a vocal advocate for its rollout.

Her recovery enabled a return to near-driving and activities such as skiing and photography, fueling a shift toward communications work with a sight loss charity.

The Moorfields team, including Petrushkin, plans to expand the treatment to more patients, underscoring the potential impact of the procedure.

Guy developed chronic anterior uveitis after giving birth, with symptoms including redness, pain, light sensitivity and blurred vision; her condition progressed to require long-term treatment and eventual Moorfields intervention.

In her left eye, vision improved from nearly unusable to clear enough to drive and enjoy activities, though her right eye suffered retinal detachment and remains blind.