A new technique for vision correction without a laser... and it takes only one minute.

 The technique relies on the use of only a mild electrical current.

A new technique for vision correction without a laser... and it takes only one minute.

A team of scientists has developed a new, non-surgical technique to reshape the cornea using a mild electrical current and a temporary change in pH. Initial experiments have shown the technique's success in treating nearsightedness without the need for traditional surgery, and it could represent a significant advance in vision correction technology since LASIK.

This emerging method, known as electromechanical reshaping (EMR), reshapes the cornea using a mild electrical voltage. It was developed by researchers from Occidental College and the University of California, Berkeley, and was presented at the American Chemical Society Fall 2025 meeting, according to New Atlas.

Just one minute.

The researchers also discovered that applying a low-level electrical current through an electrode specially designed for platinum contact lenses changes the pH of corneal tissue, making it flexible enough to reshape.

Then, once the current is stopped and the pH returns to normal, the cornea hardens again and retains its proper shape. The entire procedure takes approximately one minute and requires no cutting or tissue removal. So far, tested samples have shown no structural damage or cell death. Researchers believe EMR technology could replace LASIK surgery.

A Serendipitous Discovery

"This whole process was discovered by accident," said Brian Wong, a professor and surgeon at the University of California, Berkeley. "I was looking at living tissue as a malleable material, and then the whole chemical modification process was discovered." EMR technology is still in its early stages of development and has undergone only limited testing.

"There's still a long way to go between what's been achieved and clinical and commercial uses," said the study's lead author, Michael Hill, a professor of chemistry at Occidental College. "But if the experiments are successful, this technology will be widely applicable, much less expensive, and perhaps even reversible."