Pole trek study into eye disease

February 8, 2008.

An optometrist has completed a 700-mile journey across Antarctica to reach the South Pole, as part of research on how 24-hour daylight changes the body.

Cameron Hudson, 27, from Cardiff wanted to explore what happens to the body's rhythms when exposed to long periods of daylight.

Skin and saliva samples were taken during the 57-day trek which are being analysed by Swansea University.

He hopes the research will provide insight into diseases of the eye.

As well as the skin and saliva samples, Mr Hudson and his fellow travellers wore actigraphy watches on their wrists which monitored their movement while awake and the quality of their sleep.

Mr Hudson said he was particularly interested in how 24-hour exposure to sunlight would affect the levels of melatonin, a hormone which plays a role in controlling daily body rhythms.

Melatonin is produced naturally by the pineal gland in the brain. Research has shown that levels rise at night and fall in the morning.

He carried out the challenge with Sumiyo Tsuzuki, an Everest Summiteer from Japan, and an American expedition leader John Huston.

During the trek they faced two weeks of horrendous weather conditions.

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