New 3D printed corneas could save millions of people's vision

Corneas could be the first mainstream application of bioprinting, (Precise Bio CEO Aryeh) Batt says, in part because they have a layered structure thats a good match for the technology. Each layer consists of different types of cells and fibers, which the printer could lay down in sequence, and these layers dont contain blood vessels or nerves. Whats more, putting a new kind of transplant in the eye is inherently safer than implanting one deep in the body, since physicians could easily check for signs of trouble and could remove the tissue if anything seemed wrong.

Theres certainly a need for more corneas in the world, says Kevin Corcoran, president and CEO of the Eye Bank Association of America. In 2017, his members supplied nearly 51,000 transplantable corneas to patients in the United States, and also sent more than 26,000 abroad. Internationally, there is a tremendous amount of unmet demand, he says. Its estimated that 10 million people suffer from corneal blindness globally, primarily because they lack access to effective and affordable treatment.

Part of Precise Bios proprietary approach is its printer, which uses a technique called laser-induced forward transfer to propel droplets of bioinks onto a surface.