From mechanical hearts and brain-controlled prostheses to 3D-printed organs, advances in biotechnology are rapidly transforming how we approach healthcare — and now, doctors have managed to successfully carry out artificial cornea transplants.
The world’s first successful artificial cornea transplant was carried out on January 11 at the Beilinson Hospital in Israel.
The procedure was conducted by Israeli startup CorNeat, which won approval for clinical trials in July last year.
After losing his sight 10 years earlier due to a deformed cornea, a 78-year-old patient was the first to regain his eyesight on being fitted with the implant.
Dubbed KPro, the artificial implant can replace a deformed or opaque cornea.
It’s designed with a non-degradable synthetic nano-tissue that’s placed under the conjunctiva, a thin membrane that covers the surface of the eyelid and the white part of the eyeball, the sclera. Dr. Gilad Litvin, CMO of CorNeat Vision told Israel Hayom that the procedure was “relatively simple”, and the operation took under an hour.
CorNeat selected 10 trial patients who suffered from corneal blindness and who had either experienced failed corneal transplants in the past or weren’t suitable candidates for transplants.
Corneal transplants are common procedures to restore eyesight, but they can only be done with a donor cornea, for which demand is high — while pig corneas are a viable solution.