Blind Patients Regain Sight with Special Contact Lenses

Thanks to an innovative technology involving stem cells from the patients' own eyes and a pair of standard extended wear contact lenses, several formerly blind patients have regained their eyesight.

By . Posted on July 07 2009

For people with corneal disease or corneal damage due to injury or chemotherapy, there was once little hope of regaining their sight. Surgical procedures to repair the damage to the vision are expensive, invasive, and don’t always work. As far as most cases go, once you’re blind, you’re blind for life.

But a new treatment for corneal damage looks like it might just be a secret weapon against blindness—and it involves no more than a standard pair of contact lenses and the patient’s own cells.

The innovative new technique developed at Australia’s University of New South Wales involves removing stem cells from the patients’ own eyes, which are then attached to extended wear contact lenses. The lenses are placed in the patients’ eyes, and within days, the stem cells begin to reattach to the corneas, restoring them with undamaged cells.

Within the space of just a couple of weeks, formerly blind patients are able to see again. The contact lenses can then be removed with no ill effects: patients who’ve undergone the procedure have kept their restored vision for a year and a half, since the trials began.

The technology isn’t a sure thing: so far, it’s only been tested on three patients, and, while it’s worked on all of them, the scientists aren’t sure if the renewed eyesight will last forever. However, team leader Nick Di Girolamo told The Australian, “We’re quietly excited. We don’t know yet if (the correction) will remain stable, but if it does it’s a wonderful technique.”

The scientists believe that the technology could have applications beyond corneal restoration, including repairing the skin of burn victims. We’ll have to wait and see what happens with this new development—but hopefully, it won’t be long before you can repair the damage to your own body using nothing but your own cells (and maybe a pair of Acuvues).

Watch a video about the amazing new procedure.

Filed under: General Interest, Health and Wellbeing, Science,

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