A chemical that shows promise in clearing cataracts is being developed for use as an eye drop, researchers say.

The chemical -- called compound 29 -- cleared cataracts in the eyes of mice and in human eye lens tissue in laboratory tests, said the scientists at the University of California, San Francisco and the University of Michigan, United Press International reported.

The study was published in the journal Science.

The compound has been licensed to a company to develop it into an eye drop for people with cataracts, UPI reported.