A Chinese scientist has  announced here that new ways could be found to treat cataract in  the near future.

   Gong Xiaohua, a professor from Scripps Research Institute, told an international symposium on genome studies and biotechnology  that he and his colleagues have found out how sudden genic changes in the human body can cause cataract, and have made breakthroughs  in their search for a gene that can curb such changes.

   Gong, a Shanghai Medical Sciences University graduate, left  China 11 years ago to pursue a doctor's degree in the United  States. The 36-year-old is now chief scientist at a gene research  laboratory of Scripps Research Institute.

   Cataract is threatening many people across the world,  especially the old. Many patients have to undergo surgery lest  they would lose sight.

   "Our research aims to find an easier, cheaper and equally  effective way to treat cataract," said Gong.

   Through their model research, Gong's team has found  similarities in genic changes in rat and man, and noted that  different individuals vary in their resistance to genic changes.

   "The human body must contain another gene that can ease the  disease," Gong concluded.

   He revealed that their research has entered a "final stage", as they have found the locus for such a helpful gene.

   Gong's team is also doing researches on glaucoma and retinal  diseases.