Sealing Corneal Incisions with a Drop of Chemistry
October 19, 2004 | Source: KurzweilAI
Boston University researchers have produced an elastic, transparent hydrogel with properties allowing it to seal corneal incision.
The researchers used dendritic macromolecules — polymer complexes capable of extensive molecule-to-molecule linking which can be designed to meet very precise specifications — to formulate the hydrogel.
The hydrogel could have advantages over traditional sutures since the physical barrier that the hydrogel forms on the eye could help prevent infection. In addition, the ease with which the hydrogel is applied may inflict less trauma to the eye.