Corneal Scarring & Its Prevention

Corneal Transplantation, Corneal Scarring and Its Prevention. Corneal transplantation is undergoing a revolution with new technologies that are being investigated to improve results, including lasers and the use of corneal stem cells. Scientists are studying the causes of corneal scarring after trauma, surgery and disease to understand the molecular causes and to harness new therapies to prevent corneal blindness. Regenerative Medicine and Biology is a new discipline being applied to the eye including the cornea as means to replace a cornea without the need for human donor corneas.

• To prevent corneal blindness, DEF-supported scientists are studying molecular regulation of corneal scar formation after trauma, surgery and diseases.
• James Jester, Ph.D. is an expert on the multiphoton laser confocal microscope, which allows researchers to capture detailed images of microscopic cellular processes which could lead to new possible treatments.
• Dr. Jester also investigates the role of growth factors and cytokines to control wound healing processes and regulate scar formation.
• Regenerative Medicine and Biology is a new discipline being applied to the eye including the cornea as a means to generate an artificial cornea to eliminate the need for human donor corneas.
• The uses of lasers and corneal stem cells to improve the outcomes of surgical procedures are also being investigated.

Posted November 2008