These Hydrogel Corneas Can Give Sight Back To Millions

Meet Mrs. Hernandez. She is 60 years old and suffers from bullous keratopathy : Cysts on the cornea. In this article we will talk about hydrogel corneas that can give sight back in millions.

If they remain untreated, the chances are high that she will lose her sight sooner or later. To avoid this, she chose to undergo a corneal transplant.

However, her vision did not improve, so she needed a new intervention and will have to wait for another corneal donor.

Today, there are millions of people waiting for corneal transplants, just like Mrs. Hernandez.

Unfortunately , it is rarely easy to find donors for this part of the eye that covers the iris. In addition, the cornea tends to degenerate itself over time.

Therefore, blindness is often related to this complex structure, which contains the largest number of nerve endings in the entire human body.

Researchers have been looking for an alternative for many years. They have sought a way to replace the cornea without having to wait for a donor, while avoiding the possibility of rejection.

The solution? Hydrogel cornea.

These prosthetic corneas were developed by biomedical scientist Berkay Ozcelik from the University of Melbourne (Australia).

This will give Mrs. Hernandez the opportunity to have corneas that are compatible with her body and in perfect condition without having to wait for a donor. Most importantly, she will regain her sight.

Learn all about this incredible discovery here.

Hydrogel cornea: Future treatment for different types of blindness

Let’s first look at what your corneas do to understand the impact of this incredible discovery. Here’s what you need to know:

• The cornea is the outermost layer of your eye.
• It protects you from bacteria, dust and other external irritants.
• It allows your eye to focus. When your cornea hardens or loses its elasticity, you cannot distinguish the details of the objects that surround you.
• A healthy cornea is hydrated and transparent. However, old age and diseases such as those mentioned above affect the tissue and its function.

Hornets that restore vision

Most of the time when it comes to discussing organ donations, people immediately think of vital organs like heart, liver, kidneys…

Something that not everyone knows, however, is that corneas can restore sight in those who have lost it. Therefore, a breakthrough in this area is considered to be quite unusual:

• First , patients will no longer have to wait for a donor to die to receive a transplant.
• In addition, they will no longer receive more than one transplant if the first is rejected.
• Hydrogel corneas will be compatible with each individual because they will be made from the patient’s own stem cells to avoid the possibility of rejection.

Well… How was this amazing discovery possible?

What are hydrogel corneas?

This is how these corneas are created:

• Corneal endothelial cells are created in the laboratory over a layer of hydrogel. To do this, DNA samples are taken from the patient to avoid rejection.

• Then these cells grow on the hydrogel layer so that eventually this thin layer can be inserted into the patient’s eye through an almost imperceptible incision.
• The new cells have the ability to restore the function of pumping oxygen and water to the new cornea to keep it hydrated and transparent at all times.
• The hydrogel layer is thinner than a human hair (50 micrometers), and after a few months it degrades on its own, so that the cells continue their function without artificial support.

The goal is to make this new cornea permanent, avoid rejection, and keep the immune system from recognizing it as a “foreign body.”

Future prospects for hydrogel corneas

Currently, all tests have been performed in a laboratory with a remarkable success rate. Meanwhile, many people are already talking about it as an effective cure for many forms of blindness.

Even the founder, Berkay Ozcelik, wants to be patient.

Within two months, testing will begin in humans. We are waiting for the results.

The creation of corneal cells may in fact be the new hope for millions of people who see the world in darkness or in shadows due to impaired or diseased corneas.

We eagerly await the human test results and look forward to the positive results.