Blindness with stem cell 'contact lenses'

Scientists use contact lenses with stem cells to maintain vision for the blind. The first surgery significantly improved vision for patients.

The group of surgeons from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, has harnessed the power of stem cell transplantation technology. They took small cell samples from the eyes of two men and a woman with corneal disease, implanted them in a contact lens. These cell contact lenses are placed in the patient's eye within three weeks. During that time, the grafted cell moves out of the glass and begins to heal damaged corneal areas. Three patients had very poor vision due to corneal disease, surgery and vision improved significantly.

Two special contact lenses are used by doctors to improve blind vision because of corneal damage.

The surgical procedure uses the patient's own cells to heal the damage to the cornea, the protective eye membrane. The surgery was performed by anesthesia, only two hours after the surgery, the patient was returned home without having to stay in the hospital, thus reducing the cost of the patient.

The use of patients' own cells is very important because there is no need for a donor, thereby minimizing the possibility of rejection.

Researcher Nick Di Girolamo said: 'The procedure is completely simple and inexpensive. Unlike other techniques, implants in this way do not require animal compounds or other people, but only the patient's own serum and it is completely harmless. No stitches, no traces of surgery and you don't need any special equipment. '

Researchers hope that this technique can be applied to other parts of the eye such as the retina and even anywhere on the body. 'If we can do that technique with our eyes, then why can't it be effective for other parts like the skin, which is capable of receiving cells similar to the cornea ,' Di Girolamo said.

Sonal Rughani from the British Royal Institute for the Blind (RNIB) said: 'This small finding shows a positive prospect of using contact lenses. We expect further developments of this revolutionary method . ' This is part of a few studies conducted around the world for the purpose of using cell transplantation to cure blindness.