A trip to Mars could take several months, and in some scenarios nearly a year. During that time, an astronaut might develop a health problem requiring surgery. American researchers decided to test whether a key component for eye surgery—an artificial lens—could survive the journey through space, infohub.kz reports.

The team sent 135 unpackaged intraocular lenses to the International Space Station. For about six months, they remained outside the station, exposed to the space environment, after which they were returned to Earth and studied.

The lenses were placed in three different positions. Some were directly exposed to atomic oxygen, others to significant doses of solar ultraviolet radiation, and a third group was partially shielded from these factors. Another 45 lenses were left on Earth as a control group.

After their return, researchers examined 61 space-flown lenses and 20 Earth-based ones. Of the 61, 42 showed no noticeable changes. Eight acrylic lenses developed cracks and surface roughness—characteristic signs of damage from atomic oxygen. Another five lenses turned yellow and transmitted light less effectively at certain wavelengths.

Separately, the researchers studied six light-adjustable lenses. After their stay in space, their surface developed an unusual structure resembling bubble wrap or cobblestone. Why these changes occurred is still unknown.

The experiment does not mean that artificial lenses will be damaged during a flight to Mars. In the study, the lenses were deliberately exposed to the space environment. In an actual spacecraft, implants would be protected. As a next step, the scientists want to determine what packaging and shielding would be sufficient for the lenses.

Cataracts occur when the eye's natural lens becomes cloudy. During surgery, it is removed and replaced with a clear artificial intraocular lens.

"A trip to Mars could take nearly a year, and returning to Earth because of a cataract limiting vision, an injury, or another surgical eye problem may be unrealistic," said ophthalmologist and director of research at Berkeley Eye Center Morgan Micheletti.

If humans spend long periods on other planets, medical care will have to be provided there. However, eye surgery in space is still a long way off. The current experiment only tested the implants' resistance to the space environment, not the safety of a surgical procedure in weightlessness.

Earlier, Kursiv Health wrote about how U.S. scientists are using orbital research for medicine.