Becoming an astronaut requires perfect 20/20 vision, however sadly, the consequences of house could cause astronauts to return to Earth with degraded eyesight. Now, researchers from UT Southwestern Medical Center have developed a sleeping bag that that would forestall or cut back these issues by successfully sucking fluid out of astronauts’ heads.

More than half of NASA astronauts that went to the International Space Station (ISS) for greater than six months have developed imaginative and prescient issues to various levels. In one case, astronaut John Philips returned from a six month stint in regards to the ISS in 2005 together with his imaginative and prescient decreased from 20/20 to twenty/100, because the BBC reported. 

For multi-year journeys to Mars, for instance, this might grow to be a problem. “It would be a disaster if astronauts had such severe impairments that they couldn’t see what they’re doing and it compromised the mission,” lead researcher Dr. Benjamin Levine advised the BBC.

Fluids are inclined to accumulate within the head if you sleep, however on Earth, gravity pulls them again down into the physique if you rise up. In the low gravity of house, although, greater than a half gallon of fluid collects within the head. That in flip applies stress to the eyeball, inflicting flattening that may result in imaginative and prescient impairment — a dysfunction known as spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome, or SANS. Dr. Levine found SANS by flying most cancers sufferers aboard zero-G parabolic flights. They nonetheless had ports of their heads to obtain chemotherapy, which gave researchers an entry level to measure stress inside their brains.

To fight SANS, researchers collaborated with outside gear producer REI to develop a sleeping bag that matches across the waist, enclosing the decrease physique. A vacuum cleaner-like suction gadget is then activated that attracts fluid towards the toes, stopping it from accumulating within the head.  

Around a dozen individuals volunteered to check the know-how, and the outcomes have been constructive. Some questions must be answered earlier than NASA brings the know-how aboard the ISS, together with the optimum period of time astronauts ought to spend within the sleeping bag every day. They additionally want to find out if each astronaut ought to use one, or simply these susceptible to growing SANS.

Still, Dr. Levine is hopeful that SANS will not be a problem by the point NASA is able to go to Mars. “This is perhaps one of the most mission-critical medical issues that has been discovered in the last decade for the space program,” he mentioned in a press release.