Treatment allows scientists to remodel eye cells into light receptors It uses a gene that alters eye cells and an injected chemical 'photoswitch' The photoswitch works with the gene to turn light sensitivity on in cell Blind rescue dogs could see flashing lights after treatment, study says Blind mice became as good at navigating a water maze as normal mice The treatment could be used to help people with retinitis pigmentosa -an inherited condition resulting in progressive loss of sight <\/p>\n
By Ellie Zolfagharifard for MailOnline and Press Association <\/p>\n
Published: 08:31 EST, 9 December 2014 | Updated: 10:03 EST, 9 December 2014 <\/p>\n
85 shares <\/p>\n
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A radical form of gene therapy that remodels eye cells into light receptors has allowed scientists to partially restore the sight of animals with inherited blindness. <\/p>\n
Scientists say the same technique could one day be used to treat people with retinitis pigmentosa - an inherited condition resulting in progressive loss of sight. <\/p>\n
In early tests on blind rescue dogs with a similar condition, showed they could restore sufficient light sensitivity for the animals to distinguish between flashing and non-flashing lights. <\/p>\n
In normal mice (left), stimulating the retina produced a variety of responses, as shown by the colours. A similar response was achieved using the radical new therapy in blind mice - as shown in the colourful centre square. The right image reveals the blind mice who had the therapy in different retinal ganglion cells. The results in these types of cells were less dramatic <\/p>\n
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Gene therapy that restores sight in mice and dogs could be used on humans<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Treatment allows scientists to remodel eye cells into light receptors It uses a gene that alters eye cells and an injected chemical 'photoswitch' The photoswitch works with the gene to turn light sensitivity on in cell Blind rescue dogs could see flashing lights after treatment, study says Blind mice became as good at navigating a water maze as normal mice The treatment could be used to help people with retinitis pigmentosa -an inherited condition resulting in progressive loss of sight By Ellie Zolfagharifard for MailOnline and Press Association Published: 08:31 EST, 9 December 2014 | Updated: 10:03 EST, 9 December 2014 85 shares 30 View comments A radical form of gene therapy that remodels eye cells into light receptors has allowed scientists to partially restore the sight of animals with inherited blindness. Scientists say the same technique could one day be used to treat people with retinitis pigmentosa - an inherited condition resulting in progressive loss of sight Continue reading