A recent study conducted by Michiko Mandai and her colleagues at the Kobe City Eye Hospital in Japan has shown promising results in treating age-related sight loss in monkeys using stem cell transplants. The researchers grew stem cells derived from a human embryo into precursors of retinal cells and transferred them into a hole in the retina of a snow monkey that had previously struggled in vision tests.
Before the transplant, the monkey could only fix its gaze on 1.5% of dots in a sight test. However, six months after the transplant, the monkey showed improvement, fixing its gaze on between 11 and 26% of dots in subsequent tests. While the results suggest a positive impact on the monkey's vision, further studies on a larger group of animals are needed to confirm the efficacy of this approach.
Marius Ader from Dresden University of Technology in Germany emphasizes the importance of conducting more research to determine the extent of improvement in vision and whether this approach could be successful in humans. He notes that the similarities between primate eyes suggest that the treatment could potentially work in people as well.
The study offers hope for a new treatment option for age-related sight loss caused by retinal holes, which can lead to blurred or patchy vision. By addressing this issue with stem cell transplants, researchers may be able to improve vision in individuals experiencing this type of sight loss. Continued research and clinical trials will be necessary to further explore the potential benefits of this treatment approach in both animals and humans.