A New Approach for the Replacement of the Vitreous Body

There are eye diseases that affect the vitreous humour and the retina and have serious consequences for vision. If left untreated, retinal detachment and proliferative diabetic retinopathy, for example, can lead to permanent vision loss. In the latter, new, abnormal blood vessels damage the retina and the vitreous body.

In order to limit the damage, the vitreous body, i.e. the gel-like substance inside the eye, often has to be removed during treatment and replaced with a substitute material, the so-called vitreous replacement. Currently, special gases or silicone oil are used in medicine for this purpose. However, these substances can have significant side effects and damage the retina and optic nerve. This can lead to further visual impairment, the formation of cataracts and an increase in intraocular pressure. Sometimes another operation is necessary to remove the silicone oil.

New Chemical and Material Processes

Dr Malik Salman Haider, Head of the Research Laboratory at the University Ophthalmic Hospital, and Dr Jörg Teßmar from the Chair of Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry at the University Hospital of Würzburg want to solve these problems in their new project "Biohybrid hydrogels as vitreous substitutes for vitreoretinal surgery with increased efficacy". With the help of new chemical and material technology processes, they want to develop an improved vitreous replacement. "We are focussing on a so-called biohybrid hydrogel - an intelligent material that acts as a tamponade and at the same time mimics the key functions of the natural vitreous body in the eye," explains Haider.

Teßmar explains: "The strength of these materials lies in an innovative polymer construction kit that combines biopolymers and synthetic polymers." The natural components are expected to be biocompatible and ensure that the vitreous replacement is well tolerated, while the synthetic materials serve to make important properties such as elasticity, stability and degradation controllable. In addition, synthetic polymers offer the possibility of releasing medication directly into the eye if required.

The aim is to bring together cutting-edge chemistry, materials research and ophthalmology to achieve better results in eye surgery. The approach could also open up new research opportunities in ophthalmology, for example for the targeted release of drugs or the development of new tissue substitutes.

Funding from the Interdisciplinary Centre for Clinical Research

The Interdisciplinary Centre for Clinical Research (IZKF) is funding the project for three years. "We would like to thank the IZKF for the trust they have placed in us and for their financial support. This will enable us to expand our team and research pioneering solutions in vitreoretinal surgery with the help of biohybrid hydrogels," says Haider. Over the next three years, the team, consisting of a medical-technical assistant and a doctoral student, will work intensively to achieve the ambitious goals of the project.