Recently, the research team led by Professor Liu ZuguоProfessor Li Cheng from the OphthalmologyVisual Science Research Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China published a research paper titled “Corneal stromal filler injection of gelatin-based photocurable hydrogels for maintaining the corneal thicknessreconstruction of corneal stroma” (DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesb.2023.111004) in Composites Part B: Engineering (a top journal in the Q1, CAS, IF=13.1), a leading journal in the field of materials science.

Keratoconusrefractive errors can lead to severe visual impairment. With the development of modern lifestyles, the incidence of these conditions has been increasing in recent years. The application of biomaterials to promote corneal stromal reconstruction is a hot research area to address keratoconusrefractive errors. Currently, corrective lenses, refractive surgery,intraocular lens implantation remain the primary treatment options. However, these methods have significant drawbacks, including high invasivenesssevere complications such as infectionretinal detachment. Corneal stromal injection represents an innovative concept for treating refractive errorskeratoconus, wherein the injected materials must exhibit good biocompatibility, appropriate mechanical strength, good light transmittance,the properties of tissue-engineered corneal stroma such as permeation of oxygennutrients. To facilitate minimally-invasive ocular surface injection, the filler material should remain in a liquid state during corneal stromal injectionsolidify within the stroma, enabling a controllable sol-gel transition. Based on these requirements, this study established a treatment system for corneal stromal injection of photo-crosslinkable (light-responsive) hydrogels for the first time. By injecting methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) solthe corneal stroma, followed by in-situ photocuring (405 nm, blue light) ,which increase mechanical strength of the hydrogel while maintaining corneal thicknesspromoting corneal stromal reconstruction. This study proposed a treatment method for improving keratoconusrefractive errors,screened out an appropriate concentration of biomaterials for corneal reconstruction, demonstrating certain application prospects.

Prof. Liu Zuguo and Prof. Li Cheng from the OphthalmologyVisual Science Research Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China are the corresponding authors of this paper. Dr. Yi Han from the Postdoctoral Workstation of the First Affiliated Hospital of University of South ChinaDr. Lan Zheng, a postgraduate student from the School of Medicine of Xiamen University, are the co-first authors.