NASA recently approved the LASIK technology and procedure used at Optical Express for use on astronauts.
Optical Express South Pole Challenge Is Completed
Cameron Hudson and his team arrived at the South Pole on January 24, just six days after fellow Brit Richard Dunwoody reached the same target.
But unlike the Amundsen/Scott race of over a century ago, each expedition had a happy ending. On arrival, both groups noted that the South Pole is not as inhospitable a destination as it once was. As Cameron Hudson describes it,
“We were greeted at the Pole by an American news crew who threw microphones and cameras in our faces as if we were film stars. At the Pole itself is an impressive new science base run by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). It is home to 244 scientists and laborers who work in and around the base. The base manager came out to welcome us on the ice and after pitching our tent we were given a comprehensive tour of the base.”
Although the Dunwoody Expedition has been treated by the British media as the most newsworthy to date, perhaps in the long run, the enduring results of the ophthalmic research carried out by the Optical Express South Pole Challenge may give greater recognition to the Hudson expedition.
During their 60- day expedition, the team conducted a pioneering research project into the effects of Antarctica’s 24-hour daylight on the human body clock and vision, specifically related to the hormone Melatonin.
Throughout their Antarctic journey the team collected important data which will determine whether their body clocks have been disrupted by the effects of 24-hour daylight. They also wore devices to monitor their sleep-wake patterns. This research may provide new insight into diseases of the eye which cause damage to the cells in the retina that are responsible for melatonin production, and the effects of these conditions on the human body. Their initial findings will be published shortly.
Hudson, now en route back to the UK, reflected before leaving Antarctica:
“Having had a chance to catch up on some much- needed sleep and calorie intake, it has become a little easier to reflect upon events over the past 58 days. The challenges that we have faced during our journey to the South Pole have really pushed our determination and resourcefulness to their limits. The single most motivating factor en route, for me at least, has been that hopefully our efforts will make a meaningful difference to many people with visual problems.”
The team for the Optical Express South Pole Challenge included:
Cameron Hudson, 27, British Optometrist and vision researcher.
John Huston, 30, American Outdoors pursuits expert/polar guide.
As well as travelling the 700 miles across Antarctica, arriving at the South Pole, and carrying out its important research project, the Optical Express South Pole Challenge had a third focus. They were helping people with visual disorders by supporting three excellent and deserving sight- related charities: Guide Dogs for the Blind, the International Glaucoma Association (IGA) and the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) .
