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Snowflake-inspired and blink-driven flexible piezoelectric contact lenses for effective corneal injury repair

Author

Listed:
  • Guang Yao

    (University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
    University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
    University of Electronic Science and Technology of China)

  • Xiaoyi Mo

    (University of Electronic Science and Technology of China)

  • Shanshan Liu

    (University of Electronic Science and Technology of China)

  • Qian Wang

    (University of Electronic Science and Technology of China)

  • Maowen Xie

    (University of Electronic Science and Technology of China)

  • Wenhao Lou

    (University of Electronic Science and Technology of China)

  • Shiyan Chen

    (University of Electronic Science and Technology of China)

  • Taisong Pan

    (University of Electronic Science and Technology of China)

  • Ke Chen

    (University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
    University of Electronic Science and Technology of China)

  • Dezhong Yao

    (University of Electronic Science and Technology of China)

  • Yuan Lin

    (University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
    University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
    University of Electronic Science and Technology of China)

Abstract

The cornea is a tissue susceptible to various injuries and traumas with a complicated cascade repair process, in which conserving its integrity and clarity is critical to restoring visual function. Enhancing the endogenous electric field is recognized as an effective method of accelerating corneal injury repair. However, current equipment limitations and implementation complexities hinder its widespread adoption. Here, we propose a snowflake-inspired, blink-driven flexible piezoelectric contact lens that can convert mechanical blink motions into a unidirectional pulsed electric field for direct application to moderate corneal injury repair. The device is validated on mouse and rabbit models with different relative corneal alkali burn ratios to modulate the microenvironment, alleviate stromal fibrosis, promote orderly epithelial arrangement and differentiation, and restore corneal clarity. Within an 8-day intervention, the corneal clarity of mice and rabbits improves by more than 50%, and the repair rate of mouse and rabbit corneas increases by over 52%. Mechanistically, the device intervention is advantageous in blocking growth factors’ signaling pathways specifically involved in stromal fibrosis whilst preserving and harnessing the signaling pathways required for indispensable epithelial metabolism. This work put forward an efficient and orderly corneal therapeutic technology utilizing artificial endogenous-strengthened signals generated by spontaneous body activities.

Suggested Citation

  • Guang Yao & Xiaoyi Mo & Shanshan Liu & Qian Wang & Maowen Xie & Wenhao Lou & Shiyan Chen & Taisong Pan & Ke Chen & Dezhong Yao & Yuan Lin, 2023. "Snowflake-inspired and blink-driven flexible piezoelectric contact lenses for effective corneal injury repair," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-39315-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39315-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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