The technology of 3D printing has opened up new doors in the fields of medicine and science. Though no one has yet been able to put a finger on the precise extent of its effectiveness, there should be no doubt that 3D printing is and will soon be changing the world as we see it now.
The loss of eyesight and corneal grafting are now at the top of the medical issues list. The queue is lengthening even as we talk about it. Every hospital and medical organization is promoting the cause of eye donation but still, the shortage in supply far exceeds the demand. In such a scenario, we wonder, what if cornea could be 3D printed and transplanted? Yes, it might be happening real soon!
Last year, a study by a group of researchers at Newcastle University, United Kingdom, showed that it’s technically possible to print 3D corneas. The lab soon came up with the first 3D printed human cornea in reality. They used a 3D printer to create the corneas that can be transplanted on human eyes.
We have already seen how 3D printing has made its way into food, prosthetics, and medicine. Now, as per this study, 3D printing will also enter the world of optics.
The basics were explained by the head researcher, Che Connon, Professor of Tissue Engineering at Newcastle University. He said that several teams across the globe have been trying to get hold of the ideal bio-ink to transform the idea into reality. He further said that a unique gel which is a combination of alginate and collagen helps in keeping stem cells alive and produces a material that is perfect for squeezing out of a 3D printer nozzle. A lot of experiments have been conducted in the past to keep cells alive for weeks at room temperature using a unique hydrogel. Their Bio-ink will facilitate the printing of tissues without the hassle of growing the cells separately.
Corneal stem cells from healthy donors were taken for the study. It was then mixed with alginate and collagen. The measurements from the eye of a patient can be replicated with the bio-ink and a 3D printer.
However, Professor Connon hastened to add that the technology is at a very nascent stage and has to undergo many more tests and simulations before it might be said to be ready for market application. It is going to be a few years before the 3D printed corneas are at the disposal of patients. However, better late than never! Experts believe that this technology has great potential. Hopefully, it will hit the market in a few years.
