21
EW NEWS & OPINION
November 2018
in animal, into human, etc., that
would need to be done," Dr. Con-
non said.
Dr. Connon and coinvestigators
are not alone in their work using
3D printing to solve ophthalmic
problems. Kyle Packer, MD, a
captain in the U.S. Army, and chief
of refractive surgery, Womack Army
Medical Center, Fort Bragg, North
Carolina, is working on developing
a 3D-printed biomaterial for simula-
tion training purposes. Dehghani et
al. designed a 3D-printed membrane
for conjunctival reconstruction and
found it could offer a "promising"
alternative to amniotic membrane
use.
2
3D printing has been used to
customize orbital implants for facial
reconstruction and as a planning
tool for stereotactic radiosurgery
in eyes with uveal melanomas.
3,4
3D printing has also been used to
create a "smart storage glide" for the
preservation and delivery of posteri-
or lenticules for Descemet's stripping
automated endothelial keratoplasty,
used to model fundus range viewing
research, and more.
5,6
EW
References
1. Isaacson A, et al. 3D bioprinting of a
corneal stroma equivalent. Exp Eye Res.
2018;173:188–193.
2. Dehghani S, et al. 3D-printed membrane
as an alternative to amniotic membrane for
ocular surface/conjunctival defect reconstruc-
tion: an in vitro & in vivo study. Biomaterials.
2018;174:95–112.
3. Callahan AB, et al. Low-cost 3D printing
orbital implant templates in secondary orbital
reconstructions. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr
Surg. 2017;33:376–380.
4. Furdova A, et al. Early experiences of
planning stereotactic radiosurgery using 3D
printed models of eyes with uveal melanomas.
Clin Ophthalmol. 2017;11:267–271.
5. Ruzza A, et al. Preloaded donor corneal
lenticules in a new validated 3D printed smart
storage glide for Descemet stripping automat-
ed endothelial keratoplasty. Br J Ophthalmol.
2015;99:1388–95.
Contact information
Connon: Che.Connon@newcastle.ac.uk
6. Xie P, et al. Application of 3-dimensional
printing technology to construct an eye
model for fundus viewing study. PLoS One.
2014;9:e109373.
Editors' note: Dr. Connon has no finan-
cial interests related to his comments.
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