Clinical Trial Restored Sight to 20 People With Corneas Made From An Unlikely Source

Implants made from pig skin have been used to restore sight to 20 people. A lot of the patients were blind before they received this bio engineered tissue.

After two years, all 14 blind people had their vision restored and three of them had perfect vision.

A shortage of donated tissue and access to other treatments for eye diseases can be solved by this.

Around 12 million people suffer vision loss due to problems with their eyes, but only 1 in 70 get a transplant.

Most people in the world don't have access to effective treatments because of the high cost and shortage of donated corneas.

We've made a lot of effort to make our invention accessible and affordable to everyone. The technology can be used in all parts of the world.

The implant procedure can be performed with less specialized conditions and equipment thanks to a new technique developed by Rafat and colleagues.

The method could be used in more hospitals to help more people. The patient's own tissue can't be removed with our method. The implant is inserted into the existing eye through a small incision.

The final product can be stored for up to two years because the material used to make the implant is a leftover from the food industry. Human corneas need to be used within two weeks.

The front part of our eye is covered with a clear screen made of different types of collagen. Over time, this structure can thin out and cause it to bulge out and distort our vision.

Genetics, vigorous eye rubbing, and other conditions can increase the chances of developing keratoconus.

The researchers created a new layer of skin from pig skin. They used chemical and photochemical methods to strengthen the material and make it more stable.

A simple method to insert BPCDX into the recipient's eye was developed by researchers after refining their techniques.

The eye's capacity to focus is repaired with the help of the implant.

The nerves and cell layers of the eye are unaffected by the surgery.

The BPCDX remained transparent after it was implanted. There was no need for surgery or intensive therapy, and there was no adverse reaction.

All the safety boxes were checked by the bio engineered cornea.

The participants from Iran and India experienced an average increase of more than 200 micrometers in their cornea's thickness and a decrease in its curvature after two years.

The team reported based on their previous studies and data that the fortified pig cell collagen kept the implant stable even after eight years of use.

The researchers wrote in their paper that no previous study had achieved full corneal transparency with adequate corneal thickness and flattening.

If the pilot is any indication, the researchers are hopeful for more promising results that will help the new procedure meet regulatory approvals.

The results show that it is possible to develop a biomaterial that meets all the criteria for being used as human implants, which can be mass-produced and stored up to two years.

The research was published in a scientific journal.