Artificial Cornea and Corneal Implant Market Size, Trends and Growth Analysis by 2027

The market for artificial corneas and corneal implants is projected to grow significantly, reaching approximately US$ 696.18 million by 2028, up from US$ 421.86 million in 2021. This growth represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4% from 2021 to 2028.

This report outlines the prevailing trends within the market and identifies key factors contributing to its expansion. The primary drivers of market growth include the rising incidence of eye diseases that lead to corneal blindness and a notable increase in the elderly population. Conversely, the high costs associated with ophthalmic surgeries and devices pose a challenge to market advancement.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 2021, there is a substantial global demand for corneal donors, with approximately 10 million individuals requiring corneal transplants. Unfortunately, the number of available corneal tissues falls significantly short of the demand. In highly populated countries like India, patients suffering from corneal blindness often wait over six months for transplants. The National Center for Biotechnology Information reports that around 6.8 million people in India experience poor vision in one eye, while about 1 million individuals have impaired vision in both eyes due to corneal diseases. In 2019, corneal blindness impacted roughly 120,000 people in India, and by the end of 2020, it was estimated that there were 10.6 million cases of unilateral corneal blindness. The country requires approximately 250,000 corneas annually, yet only about 25,000 corneas are donated each year. The Directorate General of Health Services indicates that around 25,000 corneal transplant procedures are conducted annually, which is starkly inadequate compared to the demand of one million procedures. This disparity between the shortage of corneal donors and the high prevalence of corneal blindness presents significant growth opportunities for manufacturers of corneal implants.

The artificial cornea and corneal implant market is categorized by type into human cornea and artificial cornea. The human cornea segment is expected to dominate the market share in 2021. However, the artificial cornea segment is projected to experience a higher CAGR during the forecast period. Additionally, the market is segmented by transplant type into penetrating keratoplasty, endothelial keratoplasty, and others. The penetrating keratoplasty segment is anticipated to hold the largest market share in 2021, while the endothelial keratoplasty segment is expected to achieve the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Furthermore, the market is segmented based on disease indication into Fuchs' Dystrophy, keratoconus, fungal keratitis, and others. The Fuchs' Dystrophy segment is projected to account for the largest market share in 2021, whereas the fungal keratitis segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. In terms of end users, the market is divided into hospitals, specialty clinics and ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), and others. The specialty clinics and ASCs segment is predicted to hold the largest market share in 2021 and is also expected to experience the highest CAGR throughout the forecast period.

In preparing this report on the artificial cornea and corneal implant market, several key primary and secondary sources were consulted, including the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).