A few years ago we learned of rumors about contact lenses that gave the wearer night vision. But a better solution may have been around doctors for years all along. Independent research team Science for the Masses made eye drops based on Ce6, a substance used to enhance the potency of lasers against cancer cells as well as to treat night blindness. The study’s result indicates that Ce6 doesn’t just work on people with night blindness but on healthy people as well.
Science for the Masses’ Gary Licina (pictured above getting the eye drops) and Jeffrey Tibbets (the man applying the drops) conducted the study, and as you can see Gary was the test subject. They gauged the effect of Ce6 through a series of subjective tests. One test involved identifying letters, numbers and shapes in the dark from about 30ft away. A second test involved spotting people hidden among bushes and tress in the dark from about 80ft to 160ft away.
According to the researchers, “[t]he Ce6 subject consistently recognized symbols that did not seem to be visible to the controls. The Ce6 subject identified the distant figures 100% of the time, with the controls showing a 33% identification rate.”
Licina estimates Ce6’s vision enhancing perk lasted for about 4 hours, and so far it has no other noticeable effects. Before you rush to the drug store with tactlenecks on, Gary and Jeffrey will be the first to warn you that their study is far from conclusive, particularly given their small sample size – one person! – and lack of empirical evidence. You can read their full report at Science for the Masses’ website.
