Who designed the first artificial cornea?

• A. Franz Reisinger
• B. Erasmus Darwin
• C. Guillaume Pellier
• D. Eduard Zirm

Answer: (C)

The question tests knowledge of the early pioneers in corneal replacement, specifically who first attempted a synthetic, or artificial, cornea. Guillaume Pellier is credited with designing the first artificial cornea, marking the earliest known prosthetic approach to restoring corneal clarity without using donor tissue. This work laid a foundation for later developments in keratoprostheses by showing that a manufactured implant could be placed to substitute for a damaged cornea.

In contrast, Eduard Zirm is famous for performing the first successful human corneal transplant, which uses donor tissue rather than a synthetic implant, highlighting a different path to restoring vision. The other two names are associated with different ophthalmic advances rather than the first artificial cornea.