Stem Cell Procedure Restores Eyesight

The University of New South Wales in Australia has come up with a remarkable non-invasive procedure to restore eyesight to patients with cornea damage. Patients with cornea disease caused by burns, infections, or chemotherapy a means to be treated.

The procedure involves removing damaged cells in front of eye. Then, stem cells from a patients eye can be harvested onto a contact lens. According to Doctor Nick Di Girolamo, UNSW lead researcher, it takes 10 days to culture the cells. The lens is then installed onto the eye. The patient then uses eye drops and is checked. Within a few weeks eyesight is fully restored.

Doctors have used similar procedures to grow corneal tissue. Professor Michele De Luca of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia has shown that cells covering the cornea can be cultured and grafted to the eye. In 240 cited cases, over 70% were successful.