Japanese researchers restore sight with stem-cell cornea transplants in a world first
Stem-cell cornea transplants have been successfully performed on human patients for the first time, with Japanese surgeons using reprogrammed induced pluripotent stem cells to restore vision in three of four participants — results that held for more than a year. Published in The Lancet in 2024, the trial offers a potential path around the global shortage of donor corneal tissue, which currently leaves millions without treatment options. Corneal disease is among the leading causes of blindness worldwide, making a scalable alternative to donor transplants significant. While the trial was small, a 75% sustained success rate in a first-in-human study is a meaningful early result.
