人工角膜讓眼疾患者重見光明！
英國一位眼外科醫師希望在明年初，實施英國人工角膜移植手術首例。
這項突破性的眼科手術，能讓全球數百萬由於營養不良、疾病、或年老而眼盲的患者，重見光明。
健康的眼角膜，能讓光線射入眼球後方的視網膜，讓人得以看見世界。
若眼角膜受損，會造成視線模糊，甚至完全眼盲。
科學家已知如何利用酵母培養人體膠質，製造合成角膜。
他們把這片膠質形塑成角膜形狀，像一片隱形眼鏡般的大小。
合成角膜將固定在眼球上，替代舊的受損眼角膜。
患者的細胞與角膜神經，會生長到移植角膜上。
由於角膜捐贈不足，要是科學家能製造人工角膜，免去等待捐贈者的時間，將是視力受損者一大福音。
英文原文：
Artificial corneas could restore vision in humans!
A British eye surgeon hopes to perform the country’s first artificial cornea transplant and initiate a UK trial of the procedure by early next year.
Millions worldwide could benefit from the ground-breaking eye surgery procedure that’s able to correct blindness caused by malnutrition, disease or old age.
A healthy cornea lets light into the back of the eye to the retina so that people can see.
Damaged or scarred tissue on the cornea can cause blurred vision or loss of eyesight altogether.
Scientists are able to create a synthetic cornea by growing human collagen in yeast.
The collagen is then molded into the shape of a cornea, which is about the same shape as a contact lens.
The synthetic replacement is stitched in place of the old, damaged tissue.
The patient’s cells and corneal nerves then grow into the implant.
As donor corneas are in short supply, if scientists are able to create artificial corneas and skip the process of waiting for a donor, it’ll mean wonders for people who are visually impaired.
原文影片請看此
http://bit.ly/1SK5mYV
