London: A team led by an Indian-origin scientist has made a novel discovery that could help improve the success of corneal transplants for patients whose sight has been affected by disease.
The research, published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology, has shed light on a characteristic of a thin membrane called the Descemets membrane which can cause difficulties for surgeons performing the intricate Descemets membrane transplant procedure.
The study was led by Harminder Dua, a professor at the University of Nottingham in the UK, whose team was the first to discover a new layer of the cornea Pre-Descemets layer, also known as the Dua's layer.
"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," said Dua.
"This understanding will pave the way to develop strategies to unroll it during transplantation, with minimal damage to the cells it supports," he said.
The Descemet membrane, named after the French doctor who discovered it in the late 18th century, is found between the pre-Descemets layer (Dua's layer) and the endothelial layer in the back of the cornea, which is responsible for pumping out excess fluid and keeping the cornea dehydrated enough to maintain clear vision.
In some diseases such as Fuchs Dystrophy or following cataract surgery, the endothelial cells and Descemet membrane are damaged, causing the cornea to become waterlogged and the vision to become clouded.
Over time, the vision deteriorates and, if left untreated, can lead to loss of sight.