Researchers develop artificial corneas Special By By Jane Fazackarley Aug 30, 2010 in Health Researchers in Sweden and Canada have developed a way to implant artificial corneas. The synthetic corneas can help repair damage to eye tissue and improve vision. One of the researchers behind the discovery discusses the new procedure. All of the patients underwent surgery and had the damaged cornea tissue removed. This was then replaced with a biosynthetic cornea. Each of the patients were followed up over a two year period and researchers discovered that nerves and cells from the patients cornea had grown into the implant. The artificial corneas even began to produce their own Dr. May Griffith, a Professor of Regenerative Medicine at Linköping University, began working on the biosynthetic corneas over ten years ago along with a team of colleagues in Canada. Once rigorous testing had been carried out, Dr. Griffith began to work with Professor Per Fagerholm, who works as an eye surgeon in I contacted Dr. May Griffith to ask some questions. I began by asking: How does the new procedure work? "The biosynthetic corneas are made from recombinant human collagen. The yeast were genetically engineered by Fibrogen scientists to produce the human protein. This is then purified, tested, etc. to ensure safety for human use. We then process the collagen further and chemically treat it. This collagen is then moulded into the shape and size of a normal human cornea and transplanted into each patient’s eye after removal of the damaged tissue. Inside the patient’s eye, the implants provide an environment for the patients’ own cells and nerves to grow into, resulting in a cornea that looks and functions like normal healthy cornea." When do you anticipate this procedure being offered to patients? "We still have to go through Phase II and III studies. At very earliest, it will be about another 5 years." How do they compare with cornea transplants? "Although without corrective contact lenses, the 10 patients on average did not have as good visual acuity 2 years after receiving their implants as did a group of patients with donated human corneas, with contact lenses (which they could not tolerate before the surgery from pain and discomfort), the 10 patients' vision was equivalent. It was encouraging that fitting contact lenses to the patients, vision in all ten patients improved, with one cornea having 20/20 vision and two corneas having 20/25." Ten Swedish people took part in the early trials. The patients either had corneal scarring or advanced keratoconus, a degenerative condition of the eye which causes changes within the structure of the cornea. All of the patients underwent surgery and had the damaged cornea tissue removed. This was then replaced with a biosynthetic cornea. Each of the patients were followed up over a two year period and researchers discovered that nerves and cells from the patients cornea had grown into the implant. The artificial corneas even began to produce their own tears . Early trials show that there was an improvement in the vision in six out of the ten patients and when contact lenses were fitted, vision improved in all ten of the patients.Dr. May Griffith, a Professor of Regenerative Medicine at Linköping University, began working on the biosynthetic corneas over ten years ago along with a team of colleagues in Canada. Once rigorous testing had been carried out, Dr. Griffith began to work with Professor Per Fagerholm, who works as an eye surgeon in Sweden I contacted Dr. May Griffith to ask some questions. I began by asking:"The biosynthetic corneas are made from recombinant human collagen. The yeast were genetically engineered by Fibrogen scientists to produce the human protein. This is then purified, tested, etc. to ensure safety for human use. We then process the collagen further and chemically treat it. This collagen is then moulded into the shape and size of a normal human cornea and transplanted into each patient’s eye after removal of the damaged tissue. Inside the patient’s eye, the implants provide an environment for the patients’ own cells and nerves to grow into, resulting in a cornea that looks and functions like normal healthy cornea.""We still have to go through Phase II and III studies. At very earliest, it will be about another 5 years.""Although without corrective contact lenses, the 10 patients on average did not have as good visual acuity 2 years after receiving their implants as did a group of patients with donated human corneas, with contact lenses (which they could not tolerate before the surgery from pain and discomfort), the 10 patients' vision was equivalent. It was encouraging that fitting contact lenses to the patients, vision in all ten patients improved, with one cornea having 20/20 vision and two corneas having 20/25." More about Eyesight, Corneas, Eyes More news from eyesight corneas eyes