Optogenetic Therapy Restores Partial Vision in 10 Blind Patients
A phase 1 trial published in The New England Journal of Medicine shows that optogenetic therapy can restore limited visual function in patients with advanced retinitis pigmentosa. The treatment combines a gene injection to make surviving retinal cells light-sensitive with special goggles that project amber light patterns. While results are not a cure for blindness, some participants regained the ability to detect objects and navigate simple tasks.