Stem cell therapy to Restore Sight

Dozens of people suffering from blindness or suffering from vision damage due to exposure to chemicals, is now getting his eyesight back thanks to stem cell transplantation.

The success of cell therapy was reported by Italian scientists. In their study of 107 eyes of 82 damaged beyond recovery. In fact, a man whose eyes were almost blind during the last 60 years is now close to normal eyesight.

Stem cell transplant (stem cells) offer hope to the thousands of people around the world who suffered chemical burns on the cornea. However, this therapy can not be applied to the damages in the optic nerve or retina involving the macula decline.

In addition, this therapy also can not be given to someone who both eyes blind because doctors need at least the healthy tissue to be grafted.

In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the scientists take a few examples of stem cells from patients with healthy eyes and then membiakannya in the laboratory before being transplanted to the burned part of the eye.

Transplanted cells are apparently able to grow in the corneal tissue and replacing damaged cells. Because stem cells taken from their own bodies, then the patient does not need to take anti-rejection drugs, such as organ transplant patients from organ donors.

Adult stem cells, which can be taken from all parts of the body, has long been used to treat blood cancers such as leukemia or anemia crescent. But the return is a new vision.

Currently, patients who experience burning eyes treated with artificial corneas. This often causes complications, such as infection and glaucoma. Patients also can get stem cell transplants from animals, but often get a rejection of the body.

In that research of this Italian scientist, the patients who have received transplants of stem cells continue to be followed during the three-year health development, and some even up to 10 years.

Almost a third of the 106 patients able to be restored vision. But about 13 percent of otherwise successful half because even though their vision improved, but they still experience a kind of haze in the cornea.