Eye Repair
October 10, 2007 | Source: Technology Review
A novel artificial cornea that adheres to eye cells could bring new hope to the estimated 10 million people worldwide who are blind because of corneal damage or disease.
The key to the new implant is a protein-coated polymer developed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute, in Munich, Germany. The polymer, which is commercially available, repels water, so it won’t absorb tear-duct secretions that could cause it to swell. It also prohibits cell growth, so natural tissue will not cloud it over.