Implanted Biosynthetic Corneas Can Regenerate Tissue, Restoring Vision in Humans
Biosynthetic Cornea Dr. May Griffith displays a biosynthetic cornea that can be implanted into the eye to repair damage and restore sight. Ottawa Hospital Research Institute An artificial cornea can integrate with the human eye and regenerate nerve tissue, restoring sight to people with impaired vision, researchers announced today. It's the first study to show an artificially fabricated material can help regrow damaged eye tissue. The breakthrough could help millions of people worldwide who would otherwise have to rely on transplanted corneas from donors. The study involved 10 Swedish patients with severe corneal scars. Researchers led by Dr. May Griffith of the Ottowa Hospital Research Institute removed damaged corneal tissue from one eye of each patient, replacing it with a bio-synthetic cornea made from recombinant human collagen. During the next two years, cells and nerves from the patients' own corneas grew into the implant, resulting in a regenerated cornea. Nerves that had been...