Gene Treatment To Cure Inherited Blindness?

A clinical trial aims to prove that hereditary blindness caused by diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa could be cured with gene treatment.

10:39 26 February 2016

Scientists at the University of Texas are to conduct clinical trials using a special genetic treatment.

 

Their trial involves taking DNA from the back of the eye that creates light-sensitive algae and transfer it to the retina. When added to “ganglion” cells in the retina, it is expected to transform the cells into working light receptors.

 

The surgery aims to treat hereditary blindness caused by diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa.

 

Fifteen people will take part in the study and if the trial is successful, it could pave the way for the treatment of other diseases affecting sight.

 

The company behind the trial, RetroSense, has already experimented the process on mice. However, after the treatment, the mice avoided bright lights the same way as normal mice did.