Pigs are healing the blind

Nope, pigs still can’t fly- but apparently their skin can bring sight back to the visually impaired.

Researchers, specifically from Linköping University in Sweden, have found that the skin of pigs has become an extremely influential factor is their new widely affordable corneal implant that treats the eye disease Keratoconus. Keratoconus is a disease where the cornea of the eye thins and bulges, causing vision loss. This eye disease effects 50 to 200 of every 100,000 people globally, according to the Cornea Research Foundation of America.

There was previously minimal treatment for this disease, as the treatment did not work for all people. Besides the previous treatment to regain ones vision, which may or may not have worked, the only other option would require getting a corneal transplant- however it is not quite that simple. An estimated 12.7 million people are currently waiting for a corneal transplant. With that being said, these researchers have now bio-engineered a new corneal implant made of pig skin, alongside designing a “less invasive” method for performing this surgery.

Pig skin is easily accessible according to these researchers, as it is a byproduct of the food industry. In addition, while doctors must use human corneas within two weeks, pig skin based implants can be stored for up to two years.

Following a pilot study that was initiated in India and Iran, 20 recorded patients that were blind or close to being so due to this disease, 2 years later now have their eyesight restored. The research team also reported there to be no immediate complications following the procedure, and even after 2 years post-op. The question that still lies unanswered- how?

A large portion of the cornea is made up of collagen, and as previously mentioned the original method of treatment was extremely tedious and did not work for everyone. However, this pilot trial and alternate corneal material, made from highly-purified collagen molecules of pig skin, has proven to be a highly effective and widely affordable method of restoring the vision of those diagnosed with Keratoconus.

This blog post is part of the CIMA Law Group blog. If you are located in Arizona and are seeking legal services, CIMA Law Group specializes in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Government Relations.