A 78-year-old legally blind Israeli man has reportedly regained his sight after an artificial corneal transplant – the first time such a procedure has ever been successful.
Jamal Furani of Haifa was able to read text and recognize family members after receiving the biomimetic implant from CorNeat Vision last month during the less than an hour-long operation, reports the Times of Israel.
The artificial cornea, made of a synthetic, non-degradable porous material, fits into the eye wall to replace scars or deformed corneas. (iStock)
“The unveiling of this first implanted eye and being in the room was surreal,” said co-founder of the company, dr. Gilad Litvin, told the newspaper.
“Seeing a fellow human being regain his sight the next day was electrifying and emotionally moving,” Litvin said. “There were many tears in the room.”
CAN YOU REPEAT IT? HEARING TRYING TO BE MORE VIEWED WITH MASKS
The artificial cornea, made of a synthetic, non-degradable porous material, fits into the eye wall to replace scars or deformed corneas.
Once implanted, it can be integrated with living tissue by stimulating ‘cell proliferation’ in the eye, thanks in part to nanoscale chemical engineering, the company said.
After its bonds were removed, Furani saw the light of day, the company said in a Jan. 11 statement.
“The surgical procedure was straightforward and the result exceeded all our expectations,” said Professor Irit Bahar, who performed the implant, in the statement.
Furani suffered from edema in the eye and other diseases that made him legally blind for about a decade.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE
Furani was one of ten patients approved for the experimental procedure at Rabin Medical Center, with two more sites to open in Canada this month.
Other sites in the US, France and the Netherlands are awaiting approval.
Click here for more information on the NYPost.com.