Open AccessApplications of biomaterials in corneal wound healing
Author(s) -
I-Lun Tsai,
Chih-Chien Hsu,
Kuo-Hsuan Hung,
ChiWen Chang,
Yi-Hsien Cheng
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of the chinese medical association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.535
H-Index - 42
eISSN - 1728-7731
pISSN - 1726-4901
DOI - 10.1016/j.jcma.2014.09.011
Subject(s) - cornea , medicine , regeneration (biology) , wound healing , silicone hydrogel , self healing hydrogels , blindness , biomedical engineering , contact lens , ophthalmology , surgery , microbiology and biotechnology , optometry , materials science , biology , polymer chemistry
Disease affecting the cornea is a common cause of blindness worldwide. To date, the amniotic membrane (AM) is the most widely used clinical method for cornea regeneration. However, donor-dependent differences in the AM may result in variable clinical outcomes. To overcome this issue, biomaterials are currently under investigation for corneal regeneration in vitro and in vivo. In this article, we highlight the recent advances in hydrogels, bioengineered prosthetic devices, contact lenses, and drug delivery systems for corneal regeneration. In clinical studies, the therapeutic effects of biomaterials, including fibrin and collagen-based hydrogels and silicone contact lenses, have been demonstrated in damaged cornea. The combination of cells and biomaterials may provide potential treatment in corneal wound healing in the future.