Scientists have restored vision to a monkey using human stem cells

A team of scientists was able to restore vision to a monkey by using human stem cells to repair a hole in the retina.

Here's What We Know

The study, published in the journal Stem Cell Reports, describes how scientists created a patch made from stem cells and used it to treat a macular hole in a monkey's eye. Macular holes are a rare condition in which a hole forms in the centre of the retina, resulting in impaired central vision and focus sharpness.

Traditional treatments involve moving part of the outer retina towards the centre, causing blind spots in peripheral vision. However, a new method using stem cells avoids these problems.

So far, the process has only been successful on monkeys, but further research and clinical trials on humans could lead to successful applications elsewhere. This discovery represents a significant step forward in the field of retinal transplantation and vision restoration.

Source: Stem Cell Reports