South Korean scientists were able to print the cornea of the eye using a 3D printer while reconstructing its thin collagen structure without losing its transparency. The researchers used a superficial tensile strength in their work, which allowed them to obtain a transparent cornea with collagen structure in it. This work will help a lot in treating many eye diseases effectively. At this time, there is no possibility of natural regeneration of this type of tissue while maintaining its transparency. Therefore, this method is very important in the field of ophthalmology, because it allows the rehabilitation of the affected organ, and the return of the full visual functions of the eye.
In this work, researchers used recombinant polymers and collagen. Scientists have been able to avoid low material transparency compared to the natural tissues of the human body. It has become possible to produce perfect quality synthetic corneas by adjusting shear stress while producing materials during printing. The "ink" that researchers used in their work is a mixture of matter between corneal and stem cells.
Perhaps what distinguishes this method is the ability to determine the size and shape of each patient''s cornea separately, where specialists examine the eye and then process the data and then send it to the printer. 3D printed cornea, with high viability. This technology is characterized by a high speed despite its simplicity, which makes researchers hope to use it widely in the field of ophthalmology.
