Evening star., 1952-09-19
New Plastic Eyes Nay
EnobIe Blind to See
Seem to Work With Robbits,
Research Scientists Find
By Thomas R. Henry

Plastic eyes with which the blind can
see now are possibility.
They seem to work. at least with rab-
bits. according to report of DR.. VIII
liam Stone, jr., former chief Of the eye
service at Walter Reed Hospital, to the
Office of Naval Research DR.. Stone is
working on this problem under a Navy
grant at the Massachusetts, Eye and Ear
Infirmary. Boston. Mass.
The progress to date, he reports, Of
fers some hope to about 10000 in the
United States totally or partially blind
because of SCARED corneaS, the normally
transparent coverings Of the iris and
pupil Of the eye. It is these who some
times are helped by eye banks, where
healthy eye tissue is preserved for graft
ing into diseased or injured eyes. Much
publicity has been given such operations.
The fact remains, however, that IS per
cent Of them are failures, DR.. Stone
says. The transplanted tissue clouds
over, or is invaded by ingrowing blood
vessels.
Work Began Three Years Ago.
The idea of using some transparent
inorganic material has been suggested
for some time. but it has been believed
that the tissue would reject such Inn
plants and soon force them out. Expe-
rience during the war showed, however,
that this was not necessarily true. Dive
bombers frequently were damaged SO
badly that their plastic cupolas shat
tered, imbedding many minute particles
IN the eyes Of pilots. Often these were
so small and so numerous that it was
impossible to remove them. Many Of
them produced little or no reaction.
DR.. Stone began his work with rabbits
three years ago. The first results were
quite discouraging. The plastic cornea
gratis were thrust out in two weeks.
Then experiments were started with
an entirely new operational procedure.
First. the cornea was split into two layers
by an incision made at its edge. Then
the plastic disk was slipped between the
two layers. like slice of ham in sand
wich. and the incision was sewed up.
Thus the plastic became an integral part
Of the eye. When this was accomplished
the second stage Of the operation could
be performed. This consisted Of cutting
a hole out Of the front layer Of the
cornea. Thus window of clear plastic
was provided through which the subject
could see.
Seven Of Nine Tests Successful.
This operation has been performed on
nine rabbits. Two have been failures.
Seven appear to have been successful
after Is months. Much still remains to
be done, however, before the operation
can be attempted with humans. The size
and shape Of the plastic discs must be
perfected. DR.. Stone also intends to try
the operation on dogs and monkeys be-
fore trying it on a man.
Much more successful has been the
work with complete artificial eyes. Those
generally used at present, DR.. Stone SAYS.
may have a superficially genuine look
which quickly is revealed as false by its
lack OF synchronism with the movements
OF the real eye. This is due to the fact
that there is no attachment between the
eye muscles and the artificial eye. At
DR.. Stones laboratory an artificial eye
has been devised which is surrounded by
q tantalum meshwork to which the
muscles are attached.
Such eyes have been provided for. ITS
patients to date. With few exceptions,
the artificial eyes move In almost perfect
synchronism with the real eyes. sr.fi,,7 a..
Muscle and connective tissue of the eve
grow very readily into the tantalum
meshwork. DR.. Stone says. No infections
have occurred behind the implants. Al
was feared at arst would be the case.