Unique discovery to set way for more successful cornea transplants, finds study

This new discovery will help surgeons perform intricate corneal transplants with better efficiency.

It is expected that the success rate of corneal transplants will see remarkable improvement, thanks to a group of eyespecialists at the University of Nottingham. They have come up with a novel discovery that would help to enhance the success of corneal transplants for patients whose sight has been affected by a disease, stated a recent media report. The research has been published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology.

The research has highlighted a characteristic of a thin membrane called the Descemets membrane which can make it difficult for surgeons to intricate Descemets membrane transplant procedure. The study was spearheaded by Harminder Dua, professor of Ophthalmology and colleagues in the University s Division of Clinical Neuroscience. According to media reports, this same team of scientists was the first to discover a new layer of the cornea, Pre-Descemets layer, also known as Dua s layer.

Professor Dua reportedly said: "This work has demonstrated a clear structural uniqueness of the pre-Descemets layer (Dua's layer) and has also answered a puzzling surgical question on the reason why the Descemets membrane rolls in one direction, when peeled off the donor eye. This understanding will pave the way to develop strategies to unroll it during transplantation, with minimal damage to the cells it supports."