Our eyes are part of our most precious organs as they allow us to understand the world in an ultra personal way. It is therefore normal for losing sight, even with one eye, represents a great fear in humans. Whether it is a blindness caused by an infection or trauma or whether it is simply the effects of heredity or time, no one wants to become blind.
What is corneal blindness?
Cornean blindness or corneal opacity according to the International Agency for the Prevention of Eclude (IAPB), “include a wide variety of infectious, degenerative and inflammatory eye diseases that cause corneal healing, the transparent window located at the front of the eye of the eye of the eye of the eye of the eye of”.
This healing therefore resulting from several factors prevents light from penetrating the eye and therefore to join the retina so that the brain can read it and display an image. It is therefore the cause of a partial or total loss of sight in millions of people and even more in developing countries.
The University of Ferrare, Italy and one of the oldest in the world, even explains that “Corneal diseases are the second most common cause of blindness.»
In short, we are therefore talking about a particularly major problem and known to public health services. Even more when you know that the cornea is one of the most frequently transplanted tissues in the world.
However, this rather common surgical act is not always effective and the donors are not necessarily very numerous.
Thus, people with corneal blindness are either neat with a corneal transplant, without being sure that the graft will not be rejected by the body, or they are among the 12 million people worldwide on the waiting list to receive this transplant.
An implant to “get around” the cornea
Faced with this major problem, Intra-Kerm, notably supported by the University of Ferrare intends to revolutionize Cornean surgery to combat blindness. And this, if it is born, will not require a donor.
This intends to mix optics and computer science. How ? Well by bypassing the problem of the opaque cornea.
Yes, hey it's a bit vague and explanations are essential. Thus, the objective of Intra-Ker is to transform the problem and to pass it from a biological problem where, to treat corneal blindness, it is necessary to intervene on the cornea in a surgical way into a more simplistic problem, namely the transmission of data.
Still not clear enough? We get there. The objective is therefore to allow the patient to find the sight, not by grafting a cornea, but by grafting him a technological implant directly inside the eye. The latter will aim to project images directly on the retina so that the brain can interpret them.
How do images come to the implant? Thanks to a pair of so -called “intelligent” glasses equipped with a camera. The images are then broadcast, via a wireless connection, directly to the implant which will take the form of a 450×450 pixel micro-screen.
For the time being, Intra-Kerm researchers have managed to miniaturize a screen in a 5.6 mm implant. For future clinical trials and possible marketing, researchers will try to reduce its size even more so that it is as least invasive as possible.
But the revolution will still have to wait for a while. Indeed, clinical trials on humans could start within two years and it will be necessary to wait afterwards to ensure the reliability of the project.
Source : New Atlas / Intra-k / IAPB / University Degli Studi di Ferrara
With an unwavering passion for local news, Christopher leads our editorial team with integrity and dedication. With over 20 years’ experience, he is the backbone of Wouldsayso, ensuring that we stay true to our mission to inform.
