Artificial Cornea and Sensor-Based Continuous IOP Monitoring System to Treat Patients with Cornea Blindness Secondary to War-Related Ocular Injuries
Abstract
Eyes are very susceptible to blast injuries and blunt trauma. In both situations, the front lens of the eye, called the cornea, along with the white part of the eye and the drainage pathways of the eye can be damaged resulting in loss of vision from corneal scar formation (corneal blindness) and blockage of drainage pathways resulting in elevated eye pressure (glaucoma, which can lead to blindness from irreversible damage to the connection between the eye and the brain, i.e., the optic nerve). Active-duty Service Members are exposed to eye trauma from blast injuries and chemical burns that can leave them with permanent loss of vision from corneal scars and glaucoma. Routine corneal transplant surgeries using eye bank tissue has a high risk of failure in this set-up. Artificial cornea (or keratoprosthesis) may be the only answer to restore vision in this patient population. The current U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved artificial cornea models (e.g., Boston KPRO) were designed 30 years ago and are successful in fewer than 50% of the cases. Two of the main issues that complicate the current devices are the inability to monitor eye pressure (leading to blindness from undetected glaucoma) and infections from the lack of biocompatibility and wound healing (mostly from the rigidity and hydrophobic nature of the biomaterial used). Also, Boston KPRO requires assembly along with eye bank cornea tissue at the time of surgery. The objective of our proposal is to resolve these two issues using modern polymer technology. Our aims are to (1) Create a one-piece flexible artificial cornea that is hydrophilic and biocompatible to facilitate better wound healing using modern polymer technology and without the need for eye bank corneal tissue, and (2) Build a membrane-based implantable sensor to self-monitor the intraocular pressure by the patient. If successful, the implantable sensor will be the first of its kind and has the potential to change the way we approach glaucoma management, not only in these difficult cases but also in routine glaucoma patients. Continuous intraocular pressure measurement of the human eye using an implantable device inside the eye will open doors to better understanding of the pressure fluctuations and will establish the accuracy of the current technology that measures the eye pressure externally. It will also empower patients to monitor their own eye pressure at home, thus decreasing the number of visits to doctors offices. The proposed design modification will decrease the chance of extrusion and promote wound healing. The use of modern technology to resurface the artificial cornea to make it more hydrophilic will mean that the proposed keratoprosthesis will be coated by patients tear film leading to improved tolerance. This technique, which was developed in our lab, can be applied to modify the surface of other types of prostheses that are currently used in the human body. Since the prototype versions of these devices are already made in our lab, we anticipate clinical translation within a 5-year period.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 04, 2024
- Source ID
- HT94252310502
Entities
People
- Ramesh Ayyala
Organizations
- United States Army
- University of South Florida