Key points from article :
A hospital patient from Moorfields Eye Hospital, U.K. will be the first person to ever be fitted with a 3D-printed prosthetic eye.
Designed to look more realistic than traditional acrylic prosthetic eyes.
3D printing process drastically reduces the waiting time from six weeks to 2-3 weeks.
The time for the procedure is only 30 minutes.
Specialists scan the patient's eye socket, allowing software to map out a 3D model for the printer.
Data is sent to the 3D printer in Germany, where it is printed in only 2.5 hours before being sent to the U.K.
"Forthcoming clinical trial will provide us with robust evidence about the value of this new technology, showing what a difference it makes for patients," Mandeep Sagoo, a consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital.
With 3D printing technologies, waiting times are likely to be greatly reduced while the quality of life of patients is greatly improved.
