Dead Eyes can give Sight to the Blind
This could be breakthrough in the history of ophthalmology. According to a new research, cells drawn from a dead person’s eyes could give sight to the blind.
Several tests were done on rats as reported by the Stem Cells Translational Medicine, which showed restoration of vision to those rats that were completely blind.
The team of researchers at the University of London, who did the research, said that similar results in human being could help in improving the quality of one’s life, though the vision may not be so good as to allow them to read.
The researchers pointed out that human trials are expected to begin within the next three years.
As of today, donated corneas are already being used to improve people’s sight, but the team at the Institute for Ophthalmology, at UCL, took out a certain type of cell from the rear of the eye. These cells, referred to as Muller glia cells, are a certain type of adult stem cell that are capable of transforming into specialized cells in the rear of the eye and can therefore, be used to treat a wide variety of sight disorders. Brain scans from the test showed that at least 50 percent of the electrical signals between the eye as well as the brain recovered from the treatment.
Image source: Getty Images
Article source: BBC News
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Source: Onlymyhealth editorial team Feb 01, 2014
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