First stem cell surgery for age-related blindness

The first successful stem cell surgery for age-related blindness was carried out in Moorfields Eye Hospital in the UK.

The London Project to Cure Blindness was established about 10 years ago to try to reverse vision loss in patients with Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

Macular degeneration acco unts for almost 50% of all cases of blindness or vision loss in the developed world. It usually affects people over 50 and comes in two forms, wet and dry . Wet AMD, which is less common than dry AMD, is generally caused by abnormal blood vessels that leak fluid or blood into a region in centre of the retina.

Professor Lyndon Da Cruz of Moorfields Eye Hospital, who carried out the surgery , said, ‘This is truly a regenerative project. In the past it’s been impossible to replace lost neural cells. If we can deliver the very layer of cells that is missing and give them their function back this would be of enormous benefit to people with the sight threatening condition.’

Written by: Dr. Ajay Sati.