Gene therapy returns sight

Gene therapy has reportedly had dramatic effects in improving the lost sight of three US citizens.

Tami Morehouse, one of the patients to have undergone the treatment

This gives new hope into using gene therapy for treating a range of eye conditions according to an expert. 

The BBC reports:

"The three have Leber's Congenital Amaurosis (LCA), a rare inherited disease caused by defects in a gene encoding a protein needed for vision.

It appears at birth or in the first months of life, leading to severely impaired vision, involuntary eye movements and poor night vision.

The disorder, which can be caused by 'mistakes' in more than 10 different genes, prevents normal function of the retina; the light-sensitive layer of cells at the back of the eye."

Tami Morehouse, one of the patients who underwent the treatment, says: "Life is so much easier at a level that most people take for granted. Any amount of vision that you can get when you have almost nothing is incredibly valuable."

According to Professor Robin Ali of the Institute of Ophthalmology at University College London, "this is confirmation that it is possible to administer gene therapy safely to the second eye of patients.

"This is reassuring and increases the prospect of this type of therapy for treatment of a wide range of eye conditions."


Source: BBC News