Foundation Fighting Blindness - Macular Degeneration

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Gene Therapy Reactivates Retina, Restores Vision

An international research team, funded in part by the Foundation Fighting Blindness, has used gene therapy to reactivate retinal cells that were previously unresponsive to light. The treatment was delivered to cones, the retinal cells that provide central and daytime vision. Investigators evaluated the gene therapy in two mouse models of retinal degenerative disease, as well as cultures of human retinal tissue. Using a variety of tests, the researchers demonstrated that the treated cells restored functional vision, and that the restoration of vision persisted over a long period of time.

Researchers Identify Gene Linked to Decreased Risk of AMD

In a study funded by the Foundation Fighting Blindness, researchers have found that a gene known as LIPC appears to be associated with a decreased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in Americans 55 years-of-age and older. The finding gives researchers more clues about AMD, a complex disease caused by multiple genetic and environmental factors, and potentially new targets for vision-saving preventions and treatments.

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