Transplanted RPE Cells
Today the BBC and other news organisations reported on retinal pigment cell transplant that has been done at the institute of Ophthalmology in London.
This is exciting research and more can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
Mr Lee's comment on this:
Trials in USA, Canada and UK are looking at whether Stem cells will help repair Dry macular degeneration. Huge amounts of money are being spent in this area with many teams looking to find a solution. However it is very complex but progress is being made and trials are being set up.
It is very early days and just may be in years to come this will be a treatment that works.
There are huge challenges to this technology and it is not clear yet if transplanting cells into the eye will repair the retina and restore sight. The current transplant is the RPE or Retinal Pigment cells which are the helper cells to the Rods and Cones. So in themselves they have no visual potential, and it is a question whether the RPE cells will bring back to life damaged rods or cones which are the cells that do the actually conversion of light into neuro-electrical energy that goes back into the brain via the optic nerve to the Occipital cortex at the back of the head where we then see the image.
Naturally news Media report any glimmer of hope, but this does raise the expectations of patients.
Research though is slow and painstaking, and regulations to bring a product to market very strict. It will be many years even if this trial in the Institute of Ophthalmology is successful before we see it in clinical practice, all assuming it is an affordable treatment and approved by NICE.
We can but hope this technology will bring sight to those for whom we have not treatment at present ie the dry Age related macular degeneration patients.