A British man on Thursday became the first patient in the world to be fitted with a 3D printed eye. Revealed by Moorfields Eye Hospital in a press release, 47-year-old Steve Verze's left eye is completely 3D printed.
World's first 3D printed eye prosthetic
Verze received the eye on Thursday while it was first checked for size earlier in November. According to the hospital, it the first fully digital prosthetic eye created for a patient.
The hospital added that the eye is more realistic than its alternatives, with "clearer definition and real depth to the pupil."
Other prosthetic eyes usually have an iris which is painted onto a disc and then adjusted in the eye socket. This method prevents light from entering the "full depth" of the eye, something that this 3D printed design is able to achieve.
3D printing is extremely accurate and efficient with the right directions. In fact, such prosthetic printing is also considered less invasive. Usually, moulds of the eye socket are taken manually before a fake eye is built. With 3D printing, the design is created digitally after scans.
To create a balanced and natural look, scientists scanned Verze's functional eye as well. The 3D image was sent to Germany to be printed, after which it was sent back to the United Kingdom, where Moorfields Eye Hospital's ocularist polished it further.