20 October 2023
Scientists from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Karolinska Institutet have described their efforts to develop a 3D printed eye implant.
The research, which was published in Advanced Materials, provides for the possibility of cell-based therapy – for example, for type 1 or type 2 diabetes – using the eye as a base.
Senior lecturer at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Anna Herland, highlighted that the eye does not have immune cells that react unfavourably to the first stage of implantation.
The transparency of the eye also allows for study of what happens to the implant over time.
“The eye is our only window into the body, and it’s immune-privileged,” Herland said.
The device, which is 240 micrometers long, is designed to be fixed between the iris and the cornea in the anterior chamber of the eye.
In experiments in mice, the implant maintained its position for several months.
Herland shared that the research opens up the potential for more advanced device functions, such as integrated electronics or drug release.
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David Sculfor26 October 2023
A device in the eye that is only 1/4mm across and which could be used to treat diabetes would indeed be impressive. Sadly that is not what the researchers are suggesting. They used islet cells from the pancreas because they are very sensitive to blood/plasma glucose levels and could potentially be used as a glucose monitor, not to produce insulin to treat diabetes.
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