Scientists have used gene therapy to restore vision in mice affected by cerebral pigmentosa , a treatment that raises hope of a cure for the most common cause of blindness in young people . An article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Medicine describes how researchers used the technique to produce a natural photosensitive protein that helped in the restoration of visual function , concluding it could be " efficacious in the treatment of patients with end - stage retinal degenerations " . A separate study used the CRISPR - Cas9 gene editing technique to halt the progress of glaucoma in mice .
Scientists have used gene therapy to restore sight in mice affected by retinitis pigmentosa, a treatment that offers hope of a cure for the most common cause of blindness in young people. An article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences describes how researchers used the technique to produce a natural photosensitive protein that helped in the restoration of visual function, concluding it could be "efficacious in the treatment of patients with end-stage retinal degenerations". A separate experiment used the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technique to halt the progress of glaucoma in mice.