Corneal implants and manufacture and use thereof

Abstract

A corneal prosthesis including an optical element having an optically transparent central portion and an anterior surface capable of supporting a layer of epithelial cells, the optical element being made of optical material having water content between 50% and 90% and a tensile strength greater than 20 kg/cm.sup.2, and a porous outer skirt secured to the periphery of said element, said skirt being sufficiently porous to permit cell ingrowth and tissue attachment. Also disclosed are methods of making, seeding and using corneal implants having epithelial layers thereon and porous implant material of a coherent mass of randomly oriented fibers having an interconnected network of pores.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.