Limitations and advances in new treatments and future perspectives of corneal blindness

ABSTRACT This review is intended to describe the therapeutic approaches for corneal blindness, detailing the steps and elements involved in corneal wound healing. It also presents the limitations of the actual surgical and pharmacological strategies used to restore and maintain corneal transparency in terms of long-term survival and geographic coverage. In addition, we critically review the perspectives of anabolic agents, including vitamin A, hormones, growth factors, and novel promitotic and anti-inflammatory modulators, to assist corneal wound healing. We discuss the studies involving nanotechnology, gene therapy, and tissue reengineering as potential future strategies to work solely or in combination with corneal surgery to prevent or revert corneal blindness.

摘要 本综述旨在阐述角膜盲的治疗方案，详细剖析角膜伤口愈合所涉及的步骤与核心要素。同时，针对长期存活效果与地域可及性两个维度，梳理当前用于恢复并维持角膜透明度的主流手术及药物治疗策略所存在的局限性。此外，本文批判性评述了各类促合成制剂辅助角膜伤口愈合的研究前景，其中涵盖维生素A、激素、生长因子，以及新型促有丝分裂与抗炎调节因子。本文还探讨了纳米技术、基因治疗与组织再造作为潜在未来治疗策略的相关研究，上述手段可单独应用或与角膜手术联合使用，以预防或逆转角膜盲。