Surgeons treating the millions of people who suffer from a variety of eye conditions, including recurrent corneal erosions, have a new instrument its developers believe will result in better outcomes. Plexitome is a corneal instrument that acts as thousands of microscopic needles to imprint the patient’s corneal tissue, allowing the tissue to heal more quickly and completely. The instrument, being commercialized by Nanophthalmics of Memphis, was designed by a team that includes Oak Ridge National Laboratory researcher Chuck Britton and Edward Chaum, an ophthalmologist and Plough Foundation professor at the University of Tennessee Hamilton Eye Institute. The instrument allows surgeons to pierce and engage human tissue at the microscale. Unlike conventional scissors, needles and forceps, Plexitome is specifically designed for the patient’s unique pathology. With it, surgeons gain greater precision and can engage tissue at the cellular scale, minimizing the risk of damaging deeper tissue.
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