As the global population ages, vision impairment is an increasing concern, impacting physical, cognitive and mental health. Corneas are the most frequently transplanted human tissue worldwide, with around 185,000 procedures per annum, however it is estimated that 55% of the world’s population do not have access to donor material.
Approximately 12.7 million people globally are waiting for corneal transplants, and only 1 in 70 of those waiting are likely to receive the treatment that they need. There is a severe imbalance of access to human cornea tissue between developed and developing countries - with factors such as lower levels of economic and cultural sensitivities impacting the supply of donor corneas.
The development of medical devices and therapies providing novel alternatives to corneal transplantation, including corneal trauma /perforation repair, and addresses the global shortage of donor tissue for the treatment of corneal blindness.
