US study finds gene therapy improves vision, rebuilds retina

A US scientific study has revealed promising results for gene therapy in improving vision, with the potential to restore sight in people with a rare genetic disorder, as well as rebuild parts of the retina and repair damaged neural connections.

The research team from Michigan State University explained that a single dose of gene therapy helped slow vision deterioration and stimulated the retina to rebuild areas that had not developed properly from the outset.

The researchers added that the results showed a significant improvement in the animals' ability to see, especially in low-light conditions, along with structural changes in the retina, including the growth of layers containing neural connections essential for vision and improved neural communication between light-sensitive cells.

Furthermore, the benefits of the therapy persisted throughout the three-year follow-up period, indicating the mature retina's ability to re-establish some of its neural connections even after development is complete.

The researchers noted that these findings may extend beyond treating the rare genetic disorder, potentially paving the way for new methods to repair damaged neural networks in other eye diseases affecting humans in the future.