Project 461569

The cornea is a thin transparent tissue that protects the internal parts of the eye and refracts light onto the retina. Severe corneal damage can lead to irreversible scarring that prevents light from passing through the cornea, causing long-term vision loss. The best treatment for severe corneal damage is to transplant donor corneal tissue from a cadaver. Unfortunately, donor corneas are not always available when patients need them. Thus, many patients experience permanent vision loss while they wait for corneal transplantation. A treatment that does not rely on donor corneal tissue and that can be given immediately after corneal injury has potential to prevent scarring in these patients so that they do not lose their vision. This unmet clinical need will be addressed by a new biomaterial technology developed in the Frampton Lab capable of producing aligned collagen fibers that mimic the structure of the cornea. This collagen-based biomaterial textile will serve as a corneal patch for repairing corneal damage without the need for donor corneas. Currently, there are 12 million people worldwide on a waitlist for corneal transplantation. Corneal transplantation is a high-risk procedure with a rejection rate of 19% in initial surgeries and up to 60% in subsequent surgeries. The proposed technology would help to stabilize damage to corneal tissue and reduce scarring for patients who are waiting to receive corneal transplants and has potential to prevent complete loss of vision in patients who do not have access to transplantation. The proposed technology also deals with deficiencies in access to care for patients suffering from corneal injuries because it will be designed for outpatient use in resource poor and remote settings (e.g., it could potentially be applied by first responders and in rural and field hospitals).