NEW DELHI: In India, nearly two lakh people need corneal transplant annually, but only about 25% are able to get it due to the lack of donors.
A new, artificial cornea made of bio-engineered collagen, which has been used successfully by AIIMS in 10 patients over the last two years, promises to fill this gap in demand and supply.
Researchers say the process of implantation of the artificial cornea is easy and has shown promising results in patients suffering from loss of vision due to thick or irregular cornea.
Cornea is a transparent tissue covering our eyes. It allows light to enter and performs two-third of the focussing task. Certain infections, inflammatory eye diseases, trauma and deficiency of Vitamin A, are commonly responsible for its damage that leads to loss of vision.
Cornea transplant, which involves replacing the damaged tissue with donor graft, is the desired treatment, but due to lack of donor, only about 50,000 patients are able to undergo the procedure in the country. A similar crisis is seen in many other countries as well. Cornea is a transparent tissue covering our eyes Scientists, therefore, started to look for an alternative to repair or replace the damaged cornea. They developed synthetic prosthesis made from transparent thermoplastic to replace cornea’s refraction function and succeeded too. But it had drawbacks such as complex implantation, calcification, infection and retinal detachment, among others that led to limited use.
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Later, some scientists globally also experimented with implanting the collagen retrieved from pigs, cows and rats. More recently, an attempt was made by scientists from Sweden and Canada, to use bio-engineered collagen. The results, published in 2010 in Science Translational Medicine journal, claimed it was a success. Majority of patients with the artificial corneas had significantly improved vision two years after the implantation.
Dr J S Titiyal, professor and head of cornea, cataract and refractory surgery services at AIIMS, said this prompted them to take up the experiment at the institute, given that a large number of patients turn blind due to lack of donor graft.
“Implantation of artificial cornea is simple. We make small pockets in the middle layer of the transparent tissue using laser technology and then implant the bio-engineered collagen in it. It improves the shape of the damaged cornea and its function,” he said.
According to Dr Namrata Sharma, professor of ophthalmology at AIIMS, artificial cornea integrates well with the recipient’s own cells, and they have not come across any case of rejection yet. “We are continuing with the follow up of the existing patients. But plans are afoot to implant them in more patients,” she said, adding, however, that eye donation remains as important.
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World No Tobacco Day: Smoking Can Hurt Eyes, Bones And Brain
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Most smokers believe smoking is cool. No matter how you indulge in it, tobacco is harmful to your health. Tobacco contains over 7,000 toxins and 70 known carcinogens (chemicals that increase cancer risk) and can damage nearly every organ of the body.
Dr Sachin Kumar, Senior Consultant - Pulmonology at Sakra World Hospital explains how smoking affects every part of your body.
The next time you are tempted to take a drag, just pause for a minute and think of the consequences of your indulgence.
Most smokers believe smoking is cool. No matter how you indulge in it, tobacco is harmful to your health. Tobacco contains over 7,000 toxins and 70 known carcinogens (chemicals that increase cancer r..
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Smoking usually helps smokers relax on a short-term basis. But, it comes at a huge price in the long-term. Smoking results in addiction and anxiety. It alters the brain chemistry and can increase the risk of stroke.
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Cancer of mouth and throat is common among smokers. In addition, smoking can also result in gum disease, premature tooth loss, discolouration of teeth, etc.
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Lung cancer, one of the leading causes of death in the world, develops due to smoking. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease which causes difficulty in breathing is another common cause of death among smokers. Chronic Bronchitis, the inflammation of the bronchial tubes which also results in difficulty in breathing, is caused primarily due to smoking.
Smoking also increases the risk of other infections like pneumonia, tuberculosis, etc.
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Tobacco also contributes to heart conditions by reducing the good cholesterol (HDL) and increasing the bad cholesterol (LDL and Triglycerides) in the body.
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In men, smoking can result in abnormality of sperm, impotence, erectile dysfunction and prostate cancer.
In women, smoking can result in infertility, miscarriage, early menopause, and cervical and ovarian cancer.
Smoking can impact the future generation, and can lead to physical deformities and sudden infant deaths.
In men, smoking can result in abnormality of sperm, impotence, erectile dysfunction and prostate cancer.
In women, smoking can result in infertility, miscarriage, early menopause, and cervical and ..
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Smoking increases the risk of eye-related problems like stinging, excessive tearing, glaucoma and cataract. It can result in partial or total blindness if untreated.
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The kidney's main function is to clear the toxic wastes from our body. But, smoking does exactly the opposite.
It increases the chances of kidney failure, bladder cancer and other urinary tract-related problems.
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It increases the chances of kidney failure, bladder cancer and other urinary tract-rela..
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Bones provide structure to the body. Due to the toxins present in tobacco, smoking can result in osteoporosis (weakening of the bones), increasing the risk of hip fracture, spine-related problems, bone marrow cancer and also rheumatoid arthritis.
In addition to the above-mentioned problems, tobacco can also result in premature ageing, hair loss, weak immunity etc.
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