A new synthetic cornea that bio-integrates with the eye wall has been given the go-ahead for a corneal transplant trial in Israel, followed by further trials in Canada, the US, France, China and the Netherlands.

The Corneat Kpro implant is designed to replace deformed, scarred or opacified corneas and is expected to restore the vision of corneally blind patients immediately following implantation. The device's lens integrates with the patient’s ocular tissue using a unique synthetic non-degradable nano-fabric skirt placed under the conjunctiva, said Dr Gilad Litvin, Corneat Vision's CMO. "Following rigorous pre-clinical testing and successful animal trials, we feel confident proving our device's safety and efficacy in humans.”

The device’s implantation procedure does not rely on donor tissue, is relatively simple and takes less than an hour to perform, he said. “We expect it will enable millions of blind patients, even in areas where there is no corneal practice nor culture of organ donation, to regain their sight."