New Artificial Cornea May Help Remedy Blindness for Many across the World

A project led by Joachim Storsberg of the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP in Germany has just developed a new artificial cornea which can successfully bond to the eye, enabling it to function correctly. This new technological advancement may be instrumental in restoring sight to thousands of patients awaiting corneal transplants. The implant has passed clinical trials and may be used with patients later this year, providing those with corneal blindness a way to see once again.

According to 2001 data released by the World Health Organization, corneal blindness affects approximately 5 million people worldwide. While several treatment methods, including stem cell technology, have been used recently to correct the condition, corneal transplants still present the most effective remedy.

Corneal transplants are routine procedures with a strong success rate; however, they currently require the donation of human corneal tissue, usually from someone who has recently died. As a result, the ability to perform a corneal transplant procedure is often dictated by factors beyond the patient's and surgeon's control. The development of an effective artificial cornea will make this procedure much more accessible to many patients across the world.

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