Artificial corneas within sight

Chemical engineers at Stanford University have developed a material which they say could be used in the eye as an artificial cornea.

The material called “Duoptix” is made of 80% water (a similar proportion to the cornea) and a network of 2 special types of plastic. The researchers hope that it will replace donor tissue in corneal transplant surgery and lower the chance of rejection by the eye which occurs in around 20% of cases. Corneal grafts are carried out in cases where the patient’s cornea is either misshapen or loses clarity through disease or injury.