Engineers have developed a biomaterial for light-assisted corneal repair
A biomimetic material irradiated with low-energy blue light reshapes the damaged cornea of the eye.Researchers at the University of Ottawa have developed a light-activated injectable material to repair the outer shell of the eye. The healing material could be used as an alternative to corneal transplantation.
Engineers have developed light-activated biomaterials based on short peptides and glycosaminoglycans (chondroitin, hyaluronic acid). Under the influence of low-energy blue light, they form a transparent hydrogel, close in properties to the human cornea.
The material in the form of a viscous liquid is injected into a tiny pocket formed by surgical methods inside the cornea. When exposed to a small pulse of blue light with a wavelength of 460 nm, the hydrogel hardens and within minutes forms a transparent three-dimensional structure resembling the corneal tissue.
The cornea is the protective dome-shaped surface of the eye in front of the iris and pupil. It controls and directs light rays and provides clear vision. It is usually transparent, but trauma or infection leads to scarring of the cornea. The classic treatment is corneal transplantation, but the number of donor organs is insufficient to restore vision to everyone in need.
"Our technology is a breakthrough in the field of corneal repair. We believe it could be a practical solution for treating patients with diseases that negatively affect the shape and geometry of the cornea, including keratoconus," Emilio Alarcon, co-author of the study and associate professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa.
The research has been conducted in a rat model, and clinical trials are planned.