More than 4,000 corneal transplants were performed in Mexico in 2018.
In 2021, 5,259 people were waiting for a cornea transplant in Mexico.
In 2020 there were 1,310 organ donors in Mexico.
The team of scientists from LV Prasad Ophthalmological Institute, Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, and Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology in India worked together to create and develop a 3D printed cornea from human corneal tissue.
The team of scientists say the printed corneas need to undergo further clinical and developmental testing before they can be used in patients, which could take several years, with a positive result expected.
According to the statement, they hope this advance will help treat eye conditions like keratoconus. According to the Mayo Clinic Keratoconus occurs when the cornea thins and gradually bulges out in a cone shape.
A cone-shaped cornea causes blurred vision and can cause sensitivity to light and glare. Keratoconus usually affects both eyes, although it often affects one eye more than the other. It usually begins to affect people between the ages of 10 and 25.
Funding for 3D printed corneal research has come from government and philanthropic funding. According to the Press Trust of India, the product is completely natural, contains no synthetic ingredients and is free of animal waste.
dr Sayan Basu and Dr. Vivek Singh, senior researcher at the LV Prasad Eye Institute said:
“It’s a product made in India by a team of Indian doctors and scientists, and is the first 3D printed human cornea that is optically and physically suitable for transplantation. The biological ink used to make this 3D printed cornea can save the eyesight of army personnel at the injury site to seal the corneal perforation and prevent infection in war-related injuries or in remote areas without tertiary ophthalmology facilities.
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