Stem cells offer hope of treating blindness

Researchers today claimed a breakthrough in treating blindness after a team of doctors used stem-cell therapy to restore vision.

They transplanted human stem cells into the eyes of mice and chicks, and found the cells regenerated.

It is now hoped that when transplanted into the eyes of patients with damaged retinas, the stem cells may be able to re-grow damaged cells.

A team at the University of Toronto took retinal stem cells from human cadavers ranging from babies to pensioners, and transplanted them into the eyes of onedayold mice and chicks, it was reported in the US journal Proceedings Of The National Academy of Sciences.

Within four weeks, the transplanted cells became photoreceptor cells inside the retina.

The retina at the back of the eye turns light into electrical signals which go to the brain. It contains cells known as rods and cones that can become damaged, causing blindness.

The researchers hope the technique could also treat other sight disorders, including macular degeneration, a common form of blindness in developed countries.