Lab-grown stem cells may restore damaged eye surfaces

NCT ID NCT00845117

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tests whether a graft made from a patient's own or donor stem cells can repair the cornea's surface in people with limbal stem cell deficiency, a condition that causes pain, scarring, and vision loss. A small biopsy of limbal tissue is taken from a healthy eye or donor, stem cells are grown into a sheet in the lab, and then transplanted onto the damaged eye. The trial measures improvements in vision, surface healing, and blood vessel growth.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

cultivated limbal stem cell graft

What this could lead to

If successful, this approach could restore a clear corneal surface and improve vision in people with limbal stem cell deficiency, potentially reducing the need for corneal transplants.

What could go wrong

This is a small, early-stage study with 21 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Risks include graft failure, infection, or rejection, and long-term benefits are not yet proven.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

aniridia limbal stem cell deficiency pterygium Stevens-Johnson syndrome

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University Hospital Antwerp

    Antwerp, Edegem, 2650, Belgium