It’s a sad truth that peoples’ vision deteriorates with age. This can be attributed to a number of factors including age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataract and diabetic retinopathy. However, a recent Medical Xpress article noted new work that suggests we can reprogram the complex tissues of the eye to restore age-related vision loss.
Using mice as their subjects, scientists at Harvard Medical School successfully restored vision by promoting nerve regeneration. The team delivered a modified three-gene combination into retinal ganglion cells in adult mice that had experienced damage to their optic nerves. This resulted in a two-fold increase in surviving retinal ganglion cells, and a five-fold increase in nerve regrowth, effectively turning back the clock on aged eyes.
