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Show DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE Friday, December 12, 2008 Cal prof explains new surgery astigmatism," said Kornfield, one of the scientists on the team that developed the STAFF WRITER new type of lens. Kornfield talked to interested U stuAbout 30 students watched as Julia dents about the new procedure at the Kornfield, a chemical engineering profesChemical Engineering Distinguished sor from the California Institute of TechLecture Series on Dec. 9. nology, discussed a new breakthrough in Chemical engineering professor Jules eye surgery that will restore full vision Magda, who hosted the lecture series, without multiple surgeries. said that Kornfield was brought in to inThe research from CIT might help, the troduce students to new and innovative 14 million people who undergo cataract eye surgery worldwide every year by us- research being done in their field. "We want to expose our students to the ing an adjustable lens that can be altered top speakers doing engineering and sciafter surgery. ence research around the world," Magda For years, millions of people have had said. "And also to foster contacts with surgery to eliminate clouding of the lens in researchers here and researchers elsethe eye, which happens as people age. Durwhere in the world." ing surgery, optometrists remove the cloudWith help from fellow professors at CIT ed lens and secure a new synthetic one in and the University of California-San Franits place. However, if the lens is put in the cisco, Kornfield was able to develop a lightwrong place or moves after surgery, the sensitive material that could change its lens can shift and disrupt the eye's ability to shape in response to a certain kind of light. properly focus light, and the patient subseAfter these materials are exposed to a quently requires glasses after the surgery. "Imperfections in wound healing and specific frequency of light, they form into lens placement create refractive errors— a structure and expand slightly, which alfarsightedness, nearsightedness and lows them to shape part of the lens. Dan Treasure "This idea is very conducive to tailoring a lens," Kornfield said. The placement of these new photosensitive lenses is the same as in normal cataract surgery. The surgeon cuts through the cornea, and after removing the old lens, places the new piece in its place and the eye can heal. The surgeon then shoots a cool, low-intensity beam of light on the lens in locations that will eliminate errors through computer-controlled movement of the laser. After the entire lens is exposed, it hardens and maintains its shape, eliminating the chance of sunlight altering the shape of the lens later in life. With the ability to alter the lens while it's inside the eye, surgeons can correct any errors noninvasively and without the need to cut into the eye. The procedure has yet to be cleared for use in the United States but has been used in Europe. Kornfield said people suffering from cataracts that wish to undergo the new procedure in the United States could expect to wait for a few years. d.treasure@chronicle.utah.edu ^Daily Utah Chronicle INVITES YOU AND PI GUEST TO A SPECIAL ADVANCE SCREENING IM CARREY Alumna serves Ethiopia with Peace Corps Jaime Winston STAFF WRITER Rebecca Beauregard has traded in the comforts of her life in Salt Lake City to serve HIV patients in Ethiopia. Although she realizes her impact might be small, she hopes to make a difference. After receiving her bachelor's degree in behavioral science and health at the U last PHOTO COURTSEY LARRY BEAUREGARD U graduate Rebecca Beauregard is working in the Peace Corps with MIV patients in Ethiopia. spring, Beauregard joined the Peace Corps and is training for 10 weeks to help HIV patients in Ethiopia before she pursues further education. "There will be no big transformation (just) because one little white girl has planted herself in the heart of Africa," Beauregard wrote in an online blog about her work in Ethiopia. She wants to make an impact with the people she serves, she wrote, but also hopes for self-discovery and to build a resume that will help her in the future. Beauregard, who left for service Dec. 3, is among 584 U alumni to serve in the organization. According to the Peace Corps, 28 U students are Peace Corps volunteers. The U.S. Department of State Web site states that about 2.1 percent of adults ages 15 to 49 in Ethiopia are infected with HIV. The Peace Corps came to Ethiopia for the first time about 46 years ago and left the country in 1977, when a socialist government came to power, said Angus Martin, country desk officer for the Peace Corps program in Ethiopia. The organization came back to Ethiopia in 1995 and left again when the country went to war nine years ago. The Peace Corps began sending volunteers to Ethio- pia again last October, Martin said. "Ethiopia does have some issues on some of its borders, which we look at very closely," Martin said; In case the team is in danger, the Peace Corps has safety officials with the volunteers and keeps them abreast of any threats in the region so they can concentrate on helping patients. The Peace Corps mission in Ethiopia is not Beauregard's first time working with patients abroad. Larry Beauregard, Rebecca's father, does logistics for a medical team that goes to Sierra Leone three times each year to work with patients, and last March he took Rebecca with him. The team did all of its work without any running water or electricity. Like in Sierra Leone, Rebecca Beauregard will have to adjust to the Ethiopian lifestyle, Martin said. Beauregard is being trained with a team of 40 people in Ambo, Ethiopia, where they learn about the history, language and culture of the country before being assigned to a community. Rebecca's father said she began thinking about the Peace Corps in grade school when her teacher told her stories about a relative who served in the program. Beauregard also has past experience with HIV screenings in her former role as chairwoman of the U's Student Health Advisory Committee, said Artem Kopelev, Beauregard's boyfriend. "She's working on something she really believes in," Kopelev said. Susan Beauregard said it was difficult when she took her daughter to the airport for the trip to Ethiopia. "You taJc with somebody and are with somebody for so long and then they're not there," she said. "It's like that part of you is missing." However, Susan Beauregard knows her daughter arrived safely. "She's already called us," she said. "Usually we're only able to talk a few minutes, so I just tell her I love her." j.winston@ chronicle.utah.edu SCREENING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDRY, DECEMBER 16 flT 7 PM ''"''' PLEflSESTOPBY '*" '"Daily Utah Chronicle ' ROOM 321 OLPIN UNION TO PICK UP A COMPLIMENTARY PASS FOR TWO. Limit one pass per person. While supplies tasL You must be 13 years or older to receive a pass. THIS FILM IS RATED PG-13. PARENTS STRONGLY CAUTIONED. Some Material May Be Inappropriate For Children Under 13. Pflifw wo Errttcrf ond * 3 be cftitrtmtM on a ffril coma, tni s«r.4d btsti whSfl ouppla** toit. fio ptxwi t a l i , piejs*i Lhd one posi per person. EKJI pass admits two. Seating in not gujrarrfocd. JVnve ocrty. Th*ato ta not inpcrmbte lor cvijrbooklng. Thij screening w* be monfiored (or uruuthortztd rccoanj. By oIKrarq. p u agreo not to Bring any «ucK) a vidoo recording device mio mo thcatro {audo (eccnfng devkOT lor crodcnliaKJ piew) e«cept«fl and conxnl lo a physical starch of yijur belong--ngj and petaon. Any attempted LOO ofrocardftgd&vtCM wd rwufl in immctiule re>TK7o! trwn ths Itieatr^. (orffctum. and may aufciecl yixj lo oiriioJ ord civd fkiB3T/. Ptejsfl aaow addiloroJ tim- (or hcighUmod sacurffy. You can ttiict I Afcyleaving oJi noncsaen&ai bjga at homo ry in your vehicle. IN THEATRES DECEMBER 19 1 money Look familiar? Psoriasis often strikes between the ages of 15 and 25. 1. Guttate psoriasis on chest 2. Inverse psoriasis in armpit 3. Psoriasis of the nails NATIONAL PSORIASIS FOUNDATION* V; Get informed at www.psoriasis.org. U of U billed $2 million in 4 months for SLC water/sewer, "SLC water monopoly, Time for an examination, |
