Gene therapy trial restores partial vision in blind patients
A new gene therapy trial has led to partial vision improvement in ten patients with hereditary blindness caused by retinitis pigmentosa.
Key Takeaways
AIA research team has succeeded in partially restoring vision in individuals with hereditary blindness, following a recent gene therapy trial involving ten patients with retinitis pigmentosa, a disease that causes progressive damage to the retinal cells responsible for detecting light.
According to a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine, all participants had nearly complete vision loss before treatment. They received injections of a specific gene into their eyes to make the remaining retinal cells more sensitive to light using optogenetic technology.
After treatment, patients wore special glasses equipped with a camera that converts surrounding images into light signals received by the modified retinal cells. Results showed improved light sensitivity in seven out of ten patients, with six experiencing clinically significant improvement.
Some participants were able to notice objects, identify their locations, and reach for them more accurately. Improvement persisted in four patients for several months and even years.
A study of brain activity revealed that the visual cortex responded to the new visual information, indicating the brain's ability to process visual signals even after long-term blindness.
Despite these positive results, researchers emphasized that patients did not regain full vision and remained unable to see or read normally.