Israel
First-of-its-kind artificial cornea transplant performed successfully at Israeli hospital
The recipient had previously undergone three unsuccessful transplants from human donors
November 3, 2025 12:24
The recipient had previously undergone three unsuccessful transplants from human donors
November 3, 2025 12:24Doctors at Kaplan Medical Center in Israel have successfully performed the first EndoArt artificial cornea transplant, providing a new hope for patients suffering from severe eye conditions.
Developed by Israeli medical device company EyeYon Medical, the EndoArt implant replaces the function of the cornea’s endothelium without the need for biological tissue donation.
The endothelium acts as a pump and barrier, maintaining the cornea in a slightly dehydrated state – which is essential for it to remain transparent. If the corneal endothelium is damaged, the delicate, non-regenerating layer of cells lining the back of the cornea can no longer perform their essential function, potentially leading to sight loss.
The device represents a global breakthrough in ophthalmology, providing a synthetic and scalable alternative for patients who cannot undergo traditional corneal transplantation.
The groundbreaking procedure was first carried out on a patient with advanced corneal edema, where three previous transplants using human donor corneas had failed.
Where traditional donor transplants are no longer a viable option due to high risk of rejection and failure, the donor-free, artificial implant may be selected – revolutionising treatment options for patients.
Now, after hundreds of successful surgeries worldwide, the technology born at Kaplan returns to the hospital as a trusted solution with life-changing results.
The introduction of EndoArt addresses a critical global shortage, where more than 13 million visually-impaired people still require sight-saving cornea surgery.
Professor Arie Marcovich – Director of the Ophthalmology Department at Kaplan Medical Centre – remarked that EyeYon Medical’s new implant “is especially important in Israel, where waiting lists for corneal transplants can last months or even years".
“The patient who underwent surgery today had already experienced three failed transplants from human donors, and it was not possible to perform another one.
"EyeYon Medical’s new implant opens up for him-and for many other patients-the opportunity to see again without the need for a human corneal donation.”
Nahum Ferera – CEO of EyeYon Medical – added: “We are proud to…continue bringing groundbreaking innovation from Israeli science directly to the operating room. This is an exciting moment for our team – to see how Israeli technology truly changes lives.”
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