Artificial cornea (Keratoprosthesis) - a nanotechnologically modified biomaterial to restore eyesight to ultima ratio patients

Loss of eyesight, may it be caused by accidents or diseases, is associated with a substantial decrease in the quality of life. There is little doubt that restoring functional vision does not justify each and every means of disposal to a specialist. In this framework, the ethical ramifications associated with ameliorating ophthalmological deficiencies are remaining to be subject to considerable debate. A few of them are: What constitutes sufficient data obtained from assays in model systems to justify testing visual prosthetics and/or procedures in clinical trials. Does the expected outcome in the sense of improvements to existing procedures and remedies justify risking the well-being of healthy volunteers? The aim of this article is to present the successful creation and implantation of an artificial cornea on the one hand and highlight ethical questions the authors had to face in the progress of their project.