A tiny implant that beams images straight to the retina, bypassing a damaged cornea altogether, could give sight back to millions living with corneal blindness – no donor tissue required. Human trials may be underway in as little as two years.
The cornea is the most frequently transplanted human tissue. For the millions of people living with corneal blindness, the transplantation of donor tissue has long been the only real hope they have for regaining vision. But even when transplants are possible, many patients remain legally blind.
Now, researchers have unveiled a futuristic workaround: an implant that sidesteps the damaged cornea entirely, projecting images straight onto the retina. Dubai-based deep-tech company Xpanceo and Italian startup Intra-Ker have announced the first successful proof-of-concept for their intracorneal implant.
“With over 12 million people awaiting corneal transplants, we see this as the beginning of a new era, where advanced optics and computation can bridge longstanding gaps in vision care,” said Xpanceo founder, Dr Valentyn Volkov.
Normally, light passes through a transparent cornea before reaching the retina. If the cornea is scarred or clouded, no amount of healthy retinal tissue matters – the brain never gets the signal. Instead of trying to biologically repair the cornea, this implant reimagines the problem as one of data delivery.
External smart glasses, fitted with a camera, capture the visual scene. This is wirelessly transmitted, using the same communication and power system designed for Xpanceo’s smart contact lenses, to a 450x450-pixel microdisplay sealed inside the eye. That display then beams the visual data directly to the retina, bypassing the cornea altogether.
“Until now, implanting electronics in the anterior segment of the eye has not met with success,” said Professor Massimo Busin, President and CEO of Intra-Ker. ”With only 185,000 traditional corneal transplants performed each year, we see a critical need for solutions that don’t rely on donor tissue. This system is made possible by our IP-protected technology, which enables precise and safe implantation of sealed electronic components using a procedure no more complex than standard corneal surgery.”
“The initial proof of concept combined a 450x450 pixel display with our micro-optical projection system into a 5.6-mm package, and for clinical use, we aim to miniaturize the entire system,” Volkov added.
Human trials could begin within two years, with a projected addressable market of US$50 million to $200 million annually. If successful, the device could offer new independence to millions of people who are effectively shut out of donor-based sight-restoration solutions, bringing an engineered alternative to one of the world’s most common causes of blindness.
