In the pilot study, published in journal Nature Biotechnology, the implants were able to restore sight in 20 people with damaged or diseased corneas. Fourteen participants were completely blind prior to the procedure.
Patients, who lived in India and Iran, had a condition called keratoconus where the cornea gradually becomes thinner and bulges outward.
After 24 months of receiving the implants, all the patients had improved vision, according to the study.
The study crafters, a team of researchers from Sweden, India and Iran, hope that the implants could be a replacement for corneal transplants from humans, which can be hard to come by.
Experts estimate that there are about 12.7 million people who are waiting for donated corneas, with only one cornea available for every 70 people in need of a transplant, the study states.
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