Latest eye surgery looks to cells

Traditional corneal grafts can lead to a recovery time lasting months

Eye surgery could be revolutionised with a new technique, according to a Surrey consultant.

Michael Tappin said he was the only person to treat diseased corneas by replacing the innermost cells instead of grafting the entire cornea.

Traditional transplants worked by replacing the whole cornea - the layer at the front of the eye - with one from a donor, but recovery took longer.

The new surgery's main benefit is that the eye keeps its original shape.

Mr Tappin, consultant ophthalmologist at St Peter's Hospital, Chertsey, said: "Vision can recover in a few weeks.

"It is a nicer, neater technique which leads to a far faster recovery and better outcomes."

One day I was blind, and the next I could see Jennifer Matcham, patient

In traditional corneal transplants, the cornea would be sliced off the top of the patient's eyes and a healthy one from a donor would be stitched on to replace it - the treatment was known as a graft.

But post-operative distortion of the eye's shape, resulting in blurred vision and possible rejection of the new cornea, was common - and patients often had to wait for months for their eye to settle and for their sight to improve.

Mr Tappin's technique works by treating the innermost layer of the cornea, where the endothelial cells are found. He has named the process "tencell" which is short for true endothelial cell treatment.

Tencell treats patients with clouded vision, or endothelial dystrophy, by removing diseased cells and replacing them with healthy cells from a donor.

Instead of removing the bulk of the cornea, only the diseased part is taken, only a small incision is needed, and recovery is a matter of weeks - but grafts are still needed in cases where the cornea is seriously damaged. Mr Tappin also said the treatment would ease the donation process for bereaved families, because they will not have to see the results of whole corneas being taken from their loved ones which involves removing the eye.