How 3D Printers Restore Vision

From Lab to Life: How 3D Printers Restore Vision

Corneal disease is a major cause of blindness globally. Some 5 to 10 million people worldwide are  blind in both eyes,  due to corneal failure and related diseases. An additional six million people are blind in one eye for the same reason.

The cornea is crucial for vision. It is the clear dome-shaped outer layer at the front of the eye that protects it, bends light that enters the eye and does our focusing.  It is one of those precious gifts that we take for granted…until we lose it.

A brilliant young surgeon and researcher at Haifa, Israel, Rambam Eye Institute, named Dr. Michael Mimouni, has done the first successful transplantation of a bio-fabricated 3D printed cornea!  The patient was legally blind in the treated eye.

3D printing uses inkjet printing technology, to print a physical object from a three-dimensional digital model, by laying down many thin layers of a material in succession.

Corneal implants have of course been done, with donor corneas.  As with all organ transplants, there is a major shortage of corneas.  Dr. Mimouni took a single cornea from a deceased donor, cultured the cornea cells (which by the way are quite amazing!) – and used the cells to create 300  3D printed corneas!  Rambam Hospital reports that there is a worldwide shortage of donated corneas – the 3D printing technology may be a solution.

Dr. Mimouni recounts: “For the first time in history, we’ve witnessed a cornea created in the lab, from living human cells, bring sight back to a human being. It was an unforgettable moment—a glimpse into a future where no one will have to live in darkness because of a shortage of donor tissue. This is a game changer.”

Once again, creative Israelis bring light into a world shrouded in darkness – including for those who see the Jewish people as enemies of humanity.