By Man Regains Sight And Sees His Family Again After Becoming First Person Ever to Receive an Artificial Cornea
Things are looking up for the first patient to receive an artificial corneal implant, after he was able to see his family upon awakening.
The 78-year-old was even able to pass the classic eye exam test of identifying numbers and letters from a distance.
Developed by an Israeli firm called CorNeat, the KNet implant actually fuses with natural human tissue, meaning it can integrate directly with the wall of the eye and replace cornea damaged or scarred from injury or disease.
“The surgical procedure was straightforward and the result exceeded all our expectations”, said Professor Irit Bahar, Director of the Department of Ophthalmology at Rabin Medical Center.
There are currently 10 more people signed up to receive the implant.
“The moment we took off the bandages was an emotional and significant moment. We are proud to be at the forefront of this exciting and significant project that will undoubtedly impact the lives of millions, ”said Bahar.
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The cornea is a transparent shield that protects the front of the eye and can be damaged or degenerated for a variety of reasons. There are already implants that partially replace the cornea in such conditions, but the surgeries are often complex.
The KNet has biomimetic technology composed of a special material skirt that actually receives the colonizing cells of collagen and fibroblasts, gradually and permanently embedding them within the eyeball.
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“After years of hard work, seeing a colleague implant the CorNeat KPro with ease and seeing another human being regain their sight the next day was electrifying and emotionally moving, there were many tears in the room,” CorNeat Vision said. founder Dr. Gilad Litvin.
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