A GLUE which repairs serious eye injuries without surgery has been developed by scientists.
The adhesive gel has light-sensitive chemicals that seal cuts or ulcers on the cornea.
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Experts hope it could put an end to corneal transplants, about 4,000 of which are carried out each year in the UK.
There is a severe shortage of the donor tissue for these ops worldwide.
The GelCORE glue fills gaps and even fuels tissue growth. It was developed at Harvard Medical School in Boston, US.
The non invasive technique could replace operations for any injury to the cornea. More than 1.5 million new cases of corneal blindness are reported every year.
An eye infection or trauma on the surface of the eye can cause scarring – leading to blurring or complete vision loss.
The current standard treatments for filling in cuts, thinning areas or holes – called corneal defects – include synthetic glues as well as surgery.
But these are rough, toxic, difficult to handle and can lead to significant vision loss due to the material’s opacity and poor integration with corneal tissues.
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Corneal transplants also carry risks of post-transplant complications – including infection or rejection.
The US team say GelCORE – described in Science Advances – addresses this unmet clinical need.
Human trials will start in about a year.
