A fake agency mimics what happens in a blink of an eye

This fake eye can be used to test treatments for eye diseases.

For the first time, researchers used human cells to create an eye model equipped with artificial eyelids that could mimic blinking movements. This synthetic eye can be used to research and test treatments for eye diseases, according to researchers' February 16 report at a news conference at the annual meeting. of the Association for American Scientific Progress.

A new one gives new meaning to the phrase 'make eyes'.

Han Huh, a biological engineer at the University of Pennsylvania, and colleagues cultivated a ring of conjunctival cells - tissue covering the white of the eye - around a ring of corneal cells on a glass-shaped background irises. A fake eyelid is made from a thin, open hydrogel film to bring tears to the cells.

This artificial eye can help researchers learn about dry eye disease, which affects about 16 million adults in the United States. People with dry eyes do not produce enough tears or cannot create tears with the proper chemical composition to keep their eyes wet. Huh's team can produce symptoms of dry eye for this artificial organ by making it blink less than usual, from which the device can be used to check safety and effectiveness of new eye drops.

Fake eyes blink - (Photo from Dan Huh Laboratory / University of Pennsylvania).

According to Huh, this type of artificial organ can also be used to study other eye diseases, such as corneal ulcers.