Artificial corneas could save eyesight

Posted Oct 4th 2007 3:02AM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Wearables

While there's been no shortage of research surrounding the saving of one's eyesight, the EU-funded CORNEA project has now developed an artificial cornea that is showing promise in trials. Reportedly, scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP in Potsdam and the Department of Ophthalmology at the University Hospital of Regensburg have created a device that is "based on a commercially available polymer which absorbs no water and allows no cells to grow on it." Put simply, the cornea implant can "firmly connect with the natural part of the cornea, while the center remains free of cells and therefore clear." Apparently, early versions have already been successfully placed in the eyes of rabbits, and if ongoing testing goes smoothly, they'll be headed for humans as early as next year.

Tags: artificial cornea, ArtificialCornea, cornea, europe, eye, eyes, eyesight, health, medical, ocular, optics, science, sight, vision

• Read
•