Scientists are testing 3D-printed prosthetic eyes with patients in Australia

[Shawn Knight]

In brief: Scientists at the Herston Biofabrication Institute in Australia are conducting a small-scale trial to determine if 3D printed prosthetic eyes can match the look and feel of handcrafted versions created by skilled ocularists.

Prosthetic eyes have traditionally been created by hand, meaning the quality of the final product is only as good as the skill of the ocularists. It can take upwards of 24 hours or more to shape and paint a prosthetic eye by hand. With the help of 3D scanning technology and high-resolution photos, scientists can now make replicas of a patient's existing eye and 3D print it in a fraction of the time it'd take to craft by hand.

The machine-created eye still needs to be fine-tuned by a skilled ocularist to achieve a perfect fit and finish, but the tech certainly has its benefits. In addition to faster turnaround, 3D printed eyes can quickly be reproduced in the event of loss or damage. Some patients might also want a backup for peace of mind. They are also much more affordable than handcrafted variants.

Prosthetic eyes can help restore confidence in patients that may have lost an eye due to a traumatic injury, cancer, or perhaps were born without one. Craig Faull lost an eye due to cancer, and said the social and emotional consequences were perhaps the toughest to deal with.

"That's probably the hardest thing, people's reaction, you know, staring, people talking," Faull said. He reserves his handmade orbital prosthesis for social events to prevent damage that could occur during everyday use.

The ongoing trial involves 10 patients and if successful, a larger clinical trial could be next. Just don't expect the 3D printed technique to make the ocularist trade totally obsolete.

Dr. James Novak, a senior research fellow at the Herston Biofabrication Institute, doesn't believe the machine will replace the human. Nor does Nicholas Puls, an ocularist at Queensland Health who makes and paints prosthetic eyes. Novak said a hybrid approach that combines the best elements of what a 3D printer and a human can do is the best approach.

Image credit: Chris Gillette, ABC News

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/99181-scientists-testing-3d-printed-prosthetic-eyes-patients-australia.html

 

[ScottSoapbox]

Realistic eyes are key to keeping the humans from spotting the terminators.

 

[VitalyT]

 

[Marco Mint]

I'd be more impressed if they were growing new eyes and body parts in the lab. Anyone remember the image of the mouse with a human ear on its back? Memory is a little sketchy on it but I believe they can replicate any body parts that are basically not rejected by the immune system due to them being 'neutral' for want of a better word and the hosts body then populates it with the rest of the material.
As I said, memory of it is sketchy. I also believe there was some work being done to try join damaged spinal cord together again with the bodies natural healing process. Just as some animals can reject their own tail, so as to get away from a predator, then grow it back again, humans also have this within them but it is to a much lesser degree. The scientists were working on triggering this growth somehow to effectively make the spinal cord heal and rejoin again.
Now that would be something.