Kolkata, July 23 (IANS) A synthetic implant developed as a substitute for lost natural eye ball by scientists at the Central Glass and Ceramic Research institute (CGCRI) here is being marketed in South Asia and European countries, an official said Thursday.
“This integrated orbital implant is 70 percent to 75 percent porous with pore sizes ranging from 100 to 300 microns providing for vascularisation. As a result, within six months of surgery, tissues and blood vessels encompass it and thus enable good movement,” said CGCRI head of bio-ceramics and coatings division D. Basu Thursday.

Marketed by IFGL Bio Ceramics, the hydroxyapatite-based orbital implant has no side effects and the socket remains ‘very healthy’ even after years.

“It’s a lifelong implant with no side effects,” said IFGL Bio Ceramics director G. Banerjee on the sidelines of a discussion on such implants.

IFGL company secretary Rajesh Agarwal said there were 7.5 million people with one eye in India and 15 million all over the world.

“Excepting the US, which has an implant in someway close to the CGCRI product, in other countries the available ones are made of materials like metal, glass, polymet etc which are inferior in certain respects,” Banerjee said.

IFGL has targeted selling 5,000 implants in 2009-10, 25,000 in 2010-11 and 125,000 in 2011-12, Agarwal said.

With each implant costing Rs.3,500, the company expects to generate business worth Rs. 437.5 million by 2011-12.

“We are targeting the South Asian countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, besides Europe’s Denmark and the South American nation of Ecuador to reach our target, besides tapping all parts of India,” he said.

“In 2011-12, we will endeavour to enter markets like USA, where approval of Food and Drug Administration is required,” Agarwal added.