Creating Customized Corneas
The human cornea is a transparent film that covers the eye naturally. Every single person has one, and the sole purpose is to bend the light we see. Our cornea is responsible for 60-70% of our eye’s optical power, and without it, we would see barely anything. Therefore, it is a significant function in our sightseeing abilities. Using 3D laser scanning services combined with 3D printers, scientists have figured out how to create exact replicas of human corneas to understand them better. It may also be the next step in creating customized corneas for people to use.
The team used bio-ink that was created from human corneal stromal cells. These have to come from a healthy donor. The goal is to study and analyze these man-made corneas to use them as transplants for those who need them. They have shown that this is a feasible and attainable process using coordinates from patients’ eyes to create a replica that would suit them and work.
3D laser scanning services paired with 3D printing has been an unstoppable force and allowed projects to happen that would otherwise take years. There are currently over 10 million people who need surgery to prevent corneal blindness. The condition can occur from diseases like Trachoma, which is easily prevented and the number one preventable way people become blind.
How the process of creating corneas works
If the team hopes to create customized and printed corneas, they have to use a 3D laser scanning device. But, first, the patient will have to agree to get their eyes scanned. The best news about this latest technology is that it is non-invasive and will not harm the patients in any way.
It is one of the best ways to gather precise information without hurting the patients. With diseases like Trachoma, the eyes are already sensitive and can be easily damaged. 3D laser scanning services can be the first step in collecting the information gently and precisely as the doctors need to continue.
Once that step is complete, they need to create the bio-ink from donors. It will allow them to add the ink into the printer, reading the information from the scanning device. Then, layer by layer, a cornea completely customized for a human will be printed.
about 3D laser scanning services
3D laser scanning services and devices are one of the most remarkable pieces of technology we have ever seen, though it is not entirely new. The first of its kind was created in the ’60s but has come a long way since then. It captures information through sensors that detect every tiny detail. This machine has made tidal waves in the medical field.
Final thoughts
3D laser scanning services are extraordinary when paired with 3D printing. The idea is that one tool collects the information on such a precise level that the printer can read each and every detail printing out an exact copy. These two machines were not always partnered together, but now many people use both. This technology will show us a brighter future and help many patients around the world see that future.