Blind man regains sight after Israeli company implanted artificial cornea



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An elderly man who lost his sight ten years ago suddenly regained his sight in Israel after an artificial cornea developed by an Israeli company was implanted in his eye.

As reported by Israel HaYom, Israeli start-up CorNeat successfully transplanted an artificial cornea into the eye of a 78-year-old man. The CorNeat KPro implant replaces distorted, scarred or clouded corneas when it fuses with the eye wall. “The lens of the device is designed to integrate with the eye tissue using a patented non-degradable synthetic nanofabric skirt, which is placed under the conjunctiva,” Israel HaYom explained last July.

Prof Irit Bahar, head of the ophthalmology department at Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva, Israel, conducted the procedure, which left the patient able to recognize his family and read words.

“The surgery was straightforward and the result exceeded our expectations,” Bahar said. “The moment we took off the bandages was moving and meaningful. Times like these are the fulfillment of our vocation as doctors. We are proud to be at the forefront of this exciting and meaningful project that will undoubtedly have an impact on the lives of millions of people.

Dr Gilad Litvin, the inventor of the artificial cornea, said: “Unveiling that first implanted eye and being in that room, at that time, was surreal. After years of hard work, seeing a colleague implant the CorNeat KPro with ease and seeing a human regaining their sight the next day was electrifying and moving, there were many tears in the room.

Last summer, CorNeat Vision received approval to conduct artificial cornea clinical trials in 10 patients with corneal blindness. Litvin said at the time: “We predict that this will enable millions of blind patients around the world, even in areas where there is no corneal practice and no culture of organ donation, to regain consciousness. view. Bahar added that the technology to be used could be the “key to turning the tide on global blindness.”

An article published by the American Academy of Opthamology last July stated:

Corneal opacities are the fourth leading cause of blindness in the world after cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration. Among these corneal opacities, the main causes are trachoma, infectious keratitis, xerophthalmia, the use of traditional eye drugs and eye trauma. Unlike glaucoma and macular degeneration, corneal opacities can sometimes be reversed or removed, restoring vision to the eye. Unfortunately, corneal transplantation is not always possible, practical or successful, and as such, the mission of eliminating corneal blindness requires more than just access to transplantation. … It is estimated that 12.7 million people worldwide have moderate to severe vision loss (vision less than 20/60) who can undergo surgical correction and are actively awaiting a corneal transplant. In contrast, based on the limited eye bank facilities in most developing countries, more than half of the world’s population has virtually no access to corneal transplants.

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