Steve Verze is a 47-year-old engineer from Hackney in east London, and this week he had an innovative 3D printed prosthetic fitted to his left eye: what do you think? He says he was great.
He's right, there's something to celebrate: Steve has become the first patient in the world to be equipped with a 3D printed eye. The new ocular prosthesis was created by Moorfields Eye Hospital, and is the first of its kind ever.
A different eye
The peculiarity of this eye is that it shows in one shot two decisive advances in two different technologies. First of all, he tells us what is now almost a consecration: 3D printing works by developing increasingly precise and detailed products. The pupil has “a definition never had before,” reads a press release from the hospital.
Consider the fact that prosthetic eyes look like they're decades old: Current ones consist of a hand-painted iris on a disk that is then incorporated into the eye socket. Their design prevents light from passing into the “full depth” of the eye, and this produces an unrealistic effect. It's already a pain not to see out of one eye, bad that there's also embarrassment in looking at yourself.
In addition to appearing more realistic, the procedure is considered less invasive. Fitting traditional prosthetics requires taking a mold of the eye socket, while in 3D prosthetic eye development the socket is digitally scanned to create a detailed image. Verze's functional eye was also scanned to ensure a perfect appearance. The 3D scan was then sent to Germany to be printed before being shipped back to the UK, where it was refined in Moorfields Eye Hospital.
Outside and Inside
“I've needed a prosthesis since I was 20 and have always felt uncomfortable,” Verze said in the press release.
When I leave the house, I often look at myself a second time in the mirror and I don't like what I see. This new eye looks fantastic, and being based on 3D digital printing technology it will only get better.
3D printing halves the time needed to develop an ocular prosthesis, from six weeks to about two or three. A spokesperson for Moorfields Eye Hospital confirmed it will soon begin a clinical trial involving more patients. Professor Mandeep Sagoo, the project's clinical lead, said he was “excited” about the potential of the new development method.
I hope two things: first, that the upcoming clinical trial provides robust evidence on the value of this new technology, showing the difference it makes for patients. Second, that after the "aesthetic" part the functions are also integrated (including electronic, when not genetic, such as for example this one, or this) to make this eye not only natural to see, but also functioning like a real one.
