Contact Lens That Can Cure Blindness for Millions
13th June 2009, 15:11
Millions of blind and partially sighted people could be given their sight back after a major breakthrough by scientists. A simple contact lens has been created that has restored sight in just a matter of days. The revolutionary treatment could cure corneal blindness, a condition that affects 5,000 people in Britain and millions world wide. But the discovery could have implications for all the worlds 60 million blind or partially sighted people. Researchers at Australia’s University of New South Wales School of Medical Science used patients own stem cells grown on a simple contact lens. This was placed into the sufferer’s eye and within days new cells attached themselves to the damaged area. Patients who underwent the simple procedure had their sight significantly improved within weeks. Not only is the process easy and cheap, it also requires a minimal hospital stay, meaning it could be carried out in poor countries.
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