Depression and dementia may be treatable using eye stimulation therapy, Hong Kong researchers show

Transcorneal electrical stimulation, or TES, is used to treat certain eye conditions, but may also help fight depression and dementia, a Hong Kong study shows

The treatment lowers stress, stimulates the production of brain cells, and improves spatial learning in mice, the lead author of the study tells the Post

Reading Time:3 minutes

Why you can trust SCMP

Transcorneal electrical stimulation, developed to treat eye conditions, may also be useful in combating depression and dementia, Hong Kong researchers say. Photo: Getty images

Anthea Rowan

Published: 7:15am, 13 Dec 2022Updated: 2:35pm, 13 Jun 2023

Corrected [10:36pm, 13 Dec, 2022]

[10:36pm, 13 Dec, 2022]
TES was wrongly called transcorneal eye stimulation in two subheadings and a caption.

A team of scientists from the University of Hong Kong and City University of Hong Kong have published results from a study that could have life-changing implications for sufferers of two of the world’s most debilitating health conditions: depression and dementia.

Lead author Dr Lim Lee-wei, an assistant professor in the school of biomedical sciences at the University of Hong Kong, explained the science of transcorneal electrical stimulation (TES), a non-invasive stimulation of the cornea – the eye’s surface.

TES is reported to have positive effects in treating various eye conditions and is practical and easy to administer to humans. Contact-lens-like electrodes are placed on subjects’ corneas and connected to a special stimulation unit. This improves vision through its effects on the retina and optic nerve.

TES also activates brain pathways which reduce the production of stress hormones, producing an effect similar to that of antidepressants, the study shows.

Dr Lim Lee-wei. Photo: University of Hong Kong

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has previously been shown to effectively treat depression. But this invasive surgical approach has many side effects, such as infections, and requires a team of professionals to carry out the procedure.