New Moorfields Stem Cell Treatment Improves Vision for Aniridia
A clinical trial at Moorfields Eye Hospital has demonstrated that a new stem cell treatment using a collagen scaffold can significantly improve vision for patients with aniridia-related keratopathy. This breakthrough offers a potential new therapy for a previously untreatable genetic eye condition.
Why it matters
This represents a major advancement in regenerative medicine, offering hope for patients suffering from rare, progressive sight-loss conditions.
A study recently published in JAMA Ophthalmology found that a breakthrough stem cell treatment for aniridia-related keratopathy (ARK) can improve patients' vision.
This a first-in-human clinical trial for a previously untreatable rare genetic eye condition was conducted at Moorfields Eye Hospital and the University College of London (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology.
Aniridia, a surface disorder affecting the limbal stem cells, is an inherited genetic eye disease due to a mutation of the PAX6 gene, resulting in profound vision loss. ARK is a progressive form of aniridia that leads to limbal stem cell deficiency, affecting one in 40,000 to 100,000 of the population. It causes conjunctival tissue to grow over the cornea, turning the eye opaque and forming a thickening layer that gradually worsens vision.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in