The cornea, the outermost layer of the human eye, is important in focusing vision, but almost 5 million people suffer total blindness due to corneal scarring caused by burns, lacerations, abrasion or disease, according to researchers at Newcastle University.

Up to 10 million people worldwide require surgery to prevent corneal blindness from disease such as trachoma, an infectious eye disease, and that has led to a severe shortage of corneas available for transplant.

Read more at US News.