BREAKTHROUGH: SCIENTISTS ABLE TO RESTORE PARTIAL SIGHT OF A BLIND MAN

PARIS: Scientists have for the first time managed to partially restore the sight of a blind patient by altering his cells. The technique known as optogenetics, which has been developed in the field of neuroscience over the last 20 years, involves genetically altering cells so they produce more light-sensitive proteins.

Scientists in Europe and the US recruited a man who had lost his sight due to an inherited photoreceptor disease 40 years ago and began treating him with optogenetic techniques.

This involved injections in his eye and several months of stimulation with light-emitting goggles, which transformed images of the visual world into light pulses projected into the retina.

In a clinical first, they were able to restore partial sight for the 58-year-old patient, leaving him able to recognise, count, locate and touch objects in front of him.

The case study was published in the journal Nature Research Journals. Jose-Alain Sahel, lead study author from France’s Sorbonne University and National Centre for Scientific Research, said the trial provided proof-ofconcept confirmation that it was possible to use optogenetics to restore sight in humans.