STEMMING THE TIDE OF BLINDNESS?

Initial tests using embryonic stem cells in humans indicates that one day they may be used to help treat blindness. The value of stem cells is that they can transform themselves into any cell in the body. This possibility arises from treatment of two legally blind individuals, one with the dry form of age-related macular degeneration. The other with stargradt disease which causes serious vision loss. Currently there is no cure for either condition. However, four months after each patient received an injection of embryonic stem cells in one eye, both demonstrated improvement in reading progressively smaller print. Researchers are quick not to conclude too much from the study as the change in the patients may have been psychological. But it does provide potential.