Doctors hope for blindness cure after restoring patients' sight

[Judi Lynn]

Treatment for common cause of blindness could be available within five years, scientists say

Sarah Boseley Health editor
Mon 19 Mar 2018 13.22 EDT

A treatment for the commonest cause of blindness could be available within five years, scientists believe, after revealing the first two patients given a revolutionary stem cell therapy have regained enough vision to be able to read.

The two patients have advanced AMD – age-related macular degeneration – which destroys the central vision. Both were losing their sight. They were, said their surgeon, unable to see a book, let alone the printed letters.

But an implanted “patch” of stem cells over the damage at the back of the eye has restored the central vision enough not only for reading but to see faces that used to be a grey blur.

In the future, the scientists behind the breakthrough anticipate the procedure could be as common as cataract surgery, helping large numbers of the 600,000 to 700,000 people in the UK who are losing their sight because of AMD.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/mar/19/doctors-hope-for-blindness-cure-after-restoring-patients-sight

[rurallib]

1. HOPE - this would be so wonderful

[Glamrock]

2. Awesome!

My favorite aunt has this! What great news! Thanks Judi!

[dflprincess]

4. My maternal grandmother and my mother had AMD

(neither of Mom's sister do though) and I live in fear of eventually developing it.

This is great news!

[CountAllVotes]

3. WoW!!

Thanks for the good news!

Many have been having surgery on the their eyes ever few months. It is a hell having the shots in the eyeball!

I hope they can speed this up!

Thank you for posting this!!

& recommend !!

[Catch2.2]

5. Remember when conservatives...

were against stem cell research? This is why we need it! Whether it's funded by the gov't or not!

[tiptonic]

7. Yes

Yes I remember. They were led by our last great Repulsive president, George W. Bush and his merry band of religious nuts.

[dae]

6. 👍🏼👍🏼

[C Moon]

8. This is very awesome!

[Cha]

9. That's wonderful for these patients

and hope for the future in dramatically helping those with wet AMD.

Mahalo, Judi