According to a study,[1] using human breast milk may promote the repair of the cornea, the transparent outer layer at the front of the eye that aids in light focus for clear vision.
The transparent, dome-shaped layer in front of each eye is called the cornea. It resembles the windscreen in your eye. It keeps bacteria, trash, and other things out. It's particular shape, filters certain ultraviolet (UV) rays which is crucial to your eyesight.
What is Cornea healing?
Corneal healing is a complex process that involves cell death, migration, proliferation, differentiation, and extracellular matrix remodeling. It has several phases, including hemostasis, inflammation, cell proliferation, and remodeling.
The corneal healing process:
Cellular reorganization: Cellular and sub-cellular reorganization are parts of the first stage of regeneration.
Cell migration: Cells move towards the edge of the wound.
Cell proliferation: In order to replenish the initial layer of epithelium, cells multiply.
Cell differentiation: To rebuild the original epithelial layer, cells undergo differentiation.
Cell stratification: To re-establish the original epithelial layer, cells undergo differentiation and ultimately stratify.
Researchers in ophthalmology from the University of Colorado demonstrated that human breast milk increased re-epithelialization, a step in the wound healing process, which applied to injured corneas in animal models.
Breast milk itself is very complicated. There are sugars, carbohydrates, and lactose. There are a lot of proteins that have human growth factors and different kinds of biological properties. It would be really good to know what is it about breast milk that makes it so therapeutically promising.Mark Petrash, Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado
Higher amounts of Ki67, a protein made by actively proliferating cells, were seen in the injured eyes that received human breast milk treatment. In this type of eye injuries, a speedy recovery is essential because it avoids infection, which could worsen the eye's condition.
"It is better for the wound to heal as quickly as possible." According to Mark Petrash, "Human breast milk appears to stimulate that process."
Although the exact mechanism by which breast milk aids in a speedy recovery is unknown yet, the team thinks it shares characteristics with serum tears, a drug created by centrifuging a patient's own blood to extract the serum, which is thereafter sterile and bottled.
Some people with severe dry eye and inflammatory eye illnesses find that the serum works well because it contains substances like proteins and growth factors that resemble real tears.
Petrash called for more research stating that, while the results, which were published in the journal Current Eye Research, are encouraging, they might only be "the tip of the iceberg."
References:
1.Pimple, S. N., Pedler, M. G., Shieh, B., Mandava, A., McCourt, E., & Petrash, J. M. (2024). Human Breast Milk Enhances Cellular Proliferation in Cornea Wound Healing. Current Eye Research, 49(11), 1138–1144. https://doi.org/10.1080/02713683.2024.2374836.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Vasudha Handa/SSK)