Researchers have found a method for reversing congenital blindness in mice. The technique involves changing cells in the retina – called Müller glia – into rod photoreceptors, light-sensitive cells which help people see in low light. The findings of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded study appear in the journal Nature.
"Rods allow us to see in low light, but they may also help preserve cone photoreceptors, which are important for color vision and high visual acuity," said Thomas N. Greenwell, program director for retinal neuroscience at the National Eye Institute.
More research is needed to determine if the technique could work on humans.
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