Gene Therapy Helps Blind Man Regain Some Sight
MONDAY, May 24, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors for the first time have used a form of gene therapy to restore partial vision in a blind person, according to findings announced Monday.
The research team genetically altered retinal ganglion cells to become light-sensitive in a man whose vision was destroyed by retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic disorder that breaks down cells that absorb and convert light into brain signals.
Using special goggles, the 58-year-old man went from total blindness to being able to detect a large notebook, a smaller staple box, glass tumblers and even the stripes of a street crosswalk, researchers reported in the June issue of the journal