Scientists develop new type of artificial cornea

August 31, 2010

Scientists have developed a new type of artificial cornea that may be useful in restoring lost vision, according to the Associated Press. Researches conducted a study of 10 patients in Sweden who received the new cornea and found promising results.

The new method involves inserting a small amount of collagen into the eye that encourages its own natural corneal cells to regrow, thus restoring vision. Because corneas are very fragile, around 42,000 people in the U.S. receive corneal transplants each year.

"I characterize this work as a major advance in the direction that we need to go," Dr Alan Carlson, cornea transplant chief at Duke University's eye center, told the news source. He added that to "make this mimic donor tissue to the extent that your won cells ultimately become incorporated in the tissue, I think that's the most exciting aspect."

According to the research, none of the participants in the study experienced rejection of the process, and none needed immune-suppressing medication.

According to the National Eye Institute, there are several disorders and diseases that affect the cornea, including allergies, conjunctivitis, dry eye, corneal infections and ocular herpes.