Stem-cell treatment helps restore eye-sight
By Richard Gray, Science Correspondent
Last Updated: 5:01pm BST 13/06/2008
Six blind patients have had their eye-sight restored after undergoing
pioneering stem cell transplants.
Researchers at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London treated the patients
as part of a clinical trial on patients who have lost their sight
from chemical accidents or a rare genetic disease.
Using stem cells from tissue donors, surgeons grew the cells in the
laboratory before transplanting them onto the patients' eyes.
Dr Julie Daniels, who is leading the research team, will present the
results at a conference on regenerative medicine being held in Welwyn
Garden City, Hertfordshire, today.
She said: "Before the surgery the patients were barely able to
recognise when someone was waving a hand in front of their face but
we have restored their vision to the point they can read three to
four lines down the eye chart."
Nineteen patients have now received the treatment, known as limbal
stem cell therapy, at Moorfields Eye Hospital.
The patients were chemical burn victims or sufferers of a rare
genetic disease known as aniridia. They had injuries to the limbal
cells in their eyes, which are under the eye lid and maintain the
transparent layer on the outside of the cornea.
Dr Daniels said: "Their cornea becomes opaque, blood vessels grow
across it and their eyes become inflamed and they can't see anymore.
It is very painful.
"By replacing the limbal stem cells, the cornea begins to clear up as
the cells are replaced with the healthy transparent layer again.
"We can't restore sight completely yet as the material we are growing
the stem cells on is slightly opaque, but patients are certainly
reporting an improvement.
Ten patients were given the transplant 32 months ago and six of those
have showed remarkable recovery. The remaining nine patients were
treated eight months ago and are still to have their recovery
assessed.
Scientists at Moorfields Eye Hospital are also hoping to use stem
cells to treat other causes of blindness by creating small patches of
retina cells, which detect light at the back of the eye.
The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) welcomed the
results of the limbal cell trial.
Barbara McLaughlin, campaigns manager at RNIB, said: "Anything that
can restore sight to people who thought they had irretrievably lost
their eyesight is a major step forward.
"This research is very exciting, but we would caution that these
treatments can take a significant amount of time and research before
they can be widely used."
More than 250,000 people suffer injuries to their eyes every year as
a result of accidents, although only a small proportion of these are
due to burns.
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StemCells subscribers may also be interested in these sites:
Children's Neurobiological Solutions
http://www.CNSfoundation.org/
Cord Blood Registry
http://www.CordBlood.com/at.cgi?a=150123
The CNS Healing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CNS_Healing
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