Advancements in Eye Transplant Surgery

Eye transplant surgery offers the potential to restore sight for individuals who are blind, and recent funding of $46 million aims to advance this research at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. The procedure requires specialized surgical skills and the use of lifelong immunosuppressant medication to prevent the body from rejecting the new eye. Dr. Kia Washington highlights that previous attempts at eye transplants were primarily for aesthetic purposes and lacked success in restoring vision. Current research seeks to address various causes of blindness, suggesting that initial candidates for eye transplants may include individuals with traumatic injuries to the eye, where healthy tissue can replace damaged tissue.