DROPS made from a jelly found in umbilical cords could be a new treatment for sore eyes.
The jelly contains cells believed to repair potentially serious damage from infections or injury to the surface of the eye.
A clinical trial is under way at six hospitals across France examining whether the drops can heal chronic keratitis, or inflammation of the cornea — the clear, dome-shaped tissue on the front of the eye that covers the iris.
The condition can be caused by an infection in the eye or simply from wearing contact lenses for too long (allowing bacteria to breed, causing infection).
Although relatively small numbers are affected — around 1,500 patients a year in the UK — it is serious, because it can lead to a breakdown in the surface of the cornea, causing ulceration and increasing the risk of permanent sight loss within a matter of days.
Treatment usually involves antibiotic drops to kill off any bacteria, giving the cornea a chance to heal itself, plus painkillers to ease discomfort. As the infection develops and inflammation worsens, it can temporarily damage eyesight, though this usually returns to normal within weeks if the cornea responds to treatment.
In severe cases, where scarring has permanently affected eyesight, a corneal transplant may be needed to restore vision.
Some specialist centres use eye drops made from the patient’s own blood to tackle chronic keratitis. This involves taking a small sample of blood, then spinning it in a centrifuge to separate the liquid component that is rich in healing proteins.
The patient then applies daily eye drops made from this liquid to accelerate cornea repair.
Researchers behind the latest trial hope the ‘jelly’ drops will be a simpler, mass-produced option — sparing patients the need to have a blood sample taken.
Wharton’s Jelly (named after Thomas Wharton, the 17th century anatomist who discovered it) is found in abundance in umbilical cords, but is normally discarded after birth.
In recent years scientists have discovered that it’s a rich source of stem cells — master cells with the potential to mature into any type of organ or tissue in the body.
This discovery has attracted interest from researchers in several areas — including osteoarthritis, where wear and tear in major joints destroys cartilage, the body’s ‘shock absorber’.
Some studies suggest injecting Wharton’s Jelly into affected joints stimulates new cartilage growth.
Scientists behind the new trial predict the stem cells found in the jelly will stimulate the healing process in patients with keratitis that has failed to respond to existing treatments.
Patients are given the drops, made from freeze-dried and sterilised Wharton’s Jelly, five times a day for 40 days. The amount of healthy new tissue on damaged corneas is then measured to see how well it works. Results are expected later this year.
Melanie Hingorani, a consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, said: "We use eye drops from patients’ own blood for healing chronic ulcers, and this is along the same lines.
"The trial is only in 15 patients who’ve had a corneal ulcer for just a month, so many of these cases might well heal on their own no matter what you put in the eye."
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