Corneal Transplantation Market Research Report and Outlook by 2028

The corneal transplantation sector is anticipated to achieve a valuation of approximately US$ 640.79 million by the year 2028, rising from US$ 420.71 million in 2021. This growth represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2% from 2021 to 2028. The report outlines the prevailing trends within the market and identifies key factors that are propelling its expansion. The increase in the prevalence of ocular diseases and the growing elderly population are significant contributors to this market growth. Nevertheless, challenges such as the risks linked to corneal transplantation procedures and a shortage of available donor corneas pose obstacles to market advancement.

Corneal blindness is a multifaceted issue, stemming from a wide array of infectious and inflammatory conditions that lead to corneal scarring, ultimately resulting in functional blindness. Conditions such as trachoma, corneal ulcers, ophthalmia neonatorum, xerophthalmia, viral infections, onchocerciasis, leprosy, the use of traditional eye treatments, and various eye injuries are all contributors to corneal blindness. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that approximately 146 million individuals are affected by trachoma, with around 10 million suffering from trichiasis, necessitating surgical intervention to avert corneal blindness. Furthermore, about 4.9 million people are completely blind due to corneal scarring associated with trachoma. Timely treatment of these conditions and improved access to healthcare can prevent corneal blindness; however, for patients with severely damaged corneas, corneal transplantation remains the sole viable option if initial treatments are not administered promptly.

Data from the Cornea Research Foundation of America in 2020 indicates that keratoconus affects roughly 50 to 200 individuals per 100,000. This rising prevalence of keratoconus is expected to drive an increase in the demand for corneal transplants. Additionally, statistics from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) predict that around 4.1 million individuals in the UK will experience blindness between 2020 and 2050. According to WHO data from 2021, approximately 2.2 billion people worldwide suffer from visual impairments, including 4.2 million with corneal opacities. The escalating rates of eye diseases are thus significantly contributing to the growth of the corneal transplantation market.

The global corneal transplantation market is categorized by type into several segments: penetrating keratoplasty, Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK), Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSEK), Corneal Limbal Stem Cell Transplant, and others. In 2021, the penetrating keratoplasty segment commanded the largest market share and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period. The market is also segmented by indication, which includes fungal corneal ulcers, Fuchs dystrophy, keratoconus, keratitis, and others. The Fuchs dystrophy segment was the largest in 2021 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.8% throughout the forecast period. Furthermore, the end-user segmentation of the corneal transplantation market includes hospitals, eye clinics, and ambulatory surgical centers, with hospitals holding the largest market share in 2021 and anticipated to achieve the highest CAGR of 6.1% during the forecast period.

In preparing the report on the corneal transplantation market, several key primary and secondary sources were consulted, including the National Center for Health Statistics, the Indian Council of Medical Research, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), the Industrial Biotechnology Leadership Forum, and the World Health Organization.