Quick answer
Most eye surgery still relies on stitches to close incisions or hold tissue in place — but stitches can cause corneal astigmatism, new blood-vessel growth, infection and the need for a second procedure to remove them. A team led by Yuan Jin at Beijing Tongren Hospital has developed an ocular biological tissue adhesive that aims to make delicate procedures such as corneal transplant and pterygium removal sutureless [1][2].
Key takeaways
- The adhesive is designed for moist, moving eye conditions — blinking and eye-pressure changes — while staying transparent and biocompatible [2][3].
- It uses a multi-network, synergistic crosslinking system matched to the eye's optical needs, balancing biosafety, adhesion strength and ease of use, and can shorten surgery time [1].
- Reported benefits include sutureless closure, high transparency and strong adhesion, avoiding suture-induced astigmatism and infection [1][2].
- The team published a review of next-generation ocular adhesion biomaterials in the journal Bioactive Materials, describing materials that move from "biological glue" toward a "tissue-regeneration engine" [2][4].
- It was shown at the 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services among more than ten Tongren ophthalmology innovations [1][3].
The problem and the technology
An ocular adhesive has to meet unusually demanding conditions: the eye surface is constantly wet and blinking moves it, intraocular pressure fluctuates, and the material must transmit light clearly, degrade in a controlled way and not trigger rejection. Yuan Jin's team designed a multi-network crosslinked biomaterial to satisfy those constraints at once — stick fast and firmly, let light through, and be friendly to ocular tissue [1][3].
For the ocular surface and cornea, the team reports adhesive strategies — including biomimetic adhesion and interpenetrating or dual-network structures — that can support sutureless corneal transplant, fill larger corneal stromal defects and seal complex wounds even under humid or bleeding conditions [2].
What was reported
Beyond surface closure, the team frames ocular adhesives as a multi-functional platform: for the retina and fundus, a material could attach the retina, seal retinal tears or holes and build a 3D microenvironment for cell growth — going beyond simple sealing toward regeneration [2][3].
This is a biomaterial innovation with encouraging preclinical and translational progress and a peer-reviewed review, shown at a national trade fair. It is not yet a universal standard that replaces stitches in every operation, and clinical translation is ongoing [2][4].
The condition in context: why sutures are a problem
Cataract, corneal disease and other eye conditions are leading causes of vision impairment worldwide, and high-volume eye surgery — cataract and corneal transplant among them — makes even small improvements in wound closure matter [5].
| Aspect | What the report shows | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Suture drawbacks | Stitches can cause corneal astigmatism, new blood vessels, infection, rejection and a second procedure to remove them [2]. | Beijing Daily [2] |
| Material demands | A usable adhesive must bond in a wet, moving eye, be transparent, biocompatible and degradable [3]. | Beijing Tongren / media [1][3] |
| Burden | Cataract and uncorrected refractive errors are leading causes of vision impairment globally, driving huge surgical demand [5]. | World Health Organization [5] |
Because cataracts and corneal procedures are so common and precision-critical, a reliable sutureless option would be valuable at scale [5].
Why it matters
| For the patient | What the report suggests | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Precision | Sutureless closure could reduce astigmatism and infection risk from stitches [1][2]. | [1][2] |
| Convenience | No stitches to remove, and possibly shorter surgery time [1][2]. | [1][2] |
| Caution | The adhesive is at research/translation stage; its use depends on the surgeon and the specific operation [2][4]. | [2][4] |
Availability and limits
- This is an editorial summary of hospital, media and journal reports, not an independent clinical assessment or a booking channel [1][2][3].
- The adhesive is an emerging biomaterial at research and clinical-translation stage; it is not yet a universal replacement for stitches [2][4].
- Performance claims come from the team and trade-fair reporting, and more clinical data are needed before broad use [1][3].
- Burden figures describe eye conditions generally and come from WHO, not from this material [5].
What to ask before booking
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Will my eye surgery use this adhesive, or stitches? | The adhesive is emerging; technique depends on the operation and surgeon [1][2]. |
| What are the benefits and risks for my procedure? | Sutureless closure may reduce astigmatism/infection risk, but it is not universal; ask about your specific case [2]. |
| Which department handles foreign patients, and in what language? | Tongren is a working hospital we do not book; confirm international-department coordination and language support. |
| How are pre-op, surgery and follow-up scheduled around travel? | Eye surgery needs pre-op assessment and post-op review; plan visits accordingly. |
Questions patients ask
What is the ocular tissue adhesive?
It is an ocular biological adhesive developed by Yuan Jin's team at Beijing Tongren Hospital. Using a multi-network crosslinking design, it bonds in the wet, moving eye while staying transparent and biocompatible, enabling sutureless closure [1][2].
Which operations could it be used for?
Delicate procedures such as corneal transplant, pterygium removal and wound closure; the team also describes retinal adhesion for the fundus [1][2].
Why are stitches a problem in eye surgery?
Stitches can induce corneal astigmatism and neovascularisation, raise infection and rejection risk, and may need a second procedure to remove them [2].
Is this glue used routinely now?
It is an emerging biomaterial at research and clinical-translation stage, published in Bioactive Materials and shown at CIFTIS 2026; it is not yet a universal replacement for stitches [2][4].
Is this relevant to international patients considering eye care in China?
It is useful context for China's ophthalmology innovation. Tongren is a working hospital we do not book — contact its international department directly and confirm candidacy, language support and travel logistics [1][3].