My Research Makespace: Pancake Making for Glaucoma Surgery

Member Events Research Events

Our informal research events for members. Each evening will feature a UCL researcher and how they navigate the Makespace to develop their academic work.

This month Dr. Yann Bouremel will be explaining the relationship between glaucoma surgery and cooking pancakes in honour of Pancake Day! There will be a 'scientific' workshop animated by Dr. Christin Henein, Dr. Sahar Awwad and Peggy Khaw, who will help you to cook pancakes to unravel how the different patterns on the pancakes relate to glaucoma surgery. (Get a sneak preview here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsFjIJMTUiE)

Glaucoma is the most frequent cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. It is characterised by raised pressure when the fluid in the eye does not flow as it should, and so exerting stress on the optic nerve at the back of the eye. One of the ways to treat the excess pressure is to create an escape route for the fluid by carefully cutting the flexible layer covering the eyeball called the sclera. Similar phenomena happen when cooking pancakes. Water trapped under the batter of the pancake finds escape routes, and this produces the different appearances of the pancake. Understanding how to make the perfect smooth and unmottled pancake could help improve surgical methods for treating glaucoma. Dr. Yann Bouremel used the extensive Materials Library available at the Institute of Making to learn more about material properties for his research and is now a regular user of its facilities.

Pancake image courtesy of Dave Lawler, all other images courtesy of Dr. Yann Bouremel