A man covers his eyesight with a synthetic cornea -
Geeko
A new type of synthetic implant developed by the CorNeat company has allowed a 78-year-old man to regain his sight.
If synthetic implants are far from new, the one used here, the KPro, significantly simplifies the procedure.
Usually, the use of a synthetic implant is done as a last resort, when corneal transplants and implants have not worked.
The fact that the KPro implant can be directly integrated into the patient's ocular wall without any donor tissue being used drastically simplifies the procedure.
The operation requires minimal stitches and cuts, as shown in the video below.
In addition, the use of a biomimetic material "stimulates cell proliferation, leading to progressive tissue integration," CorNeat says.
The company also claims that the healing time is exceptionally fast.
Promising
Immediately after the operation, the patient was able to recognize family members and read numbers on an eye chart, proof that the surgery worked and that the new type of implant is showing promise.
KPro synthetic cornea has been approved for use in 10 additional patients in trials in Israel.
CorNeat also plans to seek approval from local authorities in other countries to implant its synthetic cornea in other patients in the coming months.
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