Around the world, over 2.2 million people suffer from either a near or distance vision impairment. In at least 1 billion of these cases, the root of the problem could have been prevented or has yet to be properly addressed. In recent years, however, a number of developments have emerged that have proven to be successful in perhaps, one day, curing blindness on a global scale. If you are interested in the most promising developments in the race to cure blindness, continue reading to find out everything you need to know.
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Gene therapy
In the years since the first gene therapy was administered for blindness by Luxturna in 2017, there has been a sharp rise in the number of companies developing gene therapy treatments focused on different forms of genetic blindness. It comes as the current price for the treatment remains largely unattainable for the vast majority of sufferers and a vital need for alternative gene therapies endures. In addition to Luxturna, several biotech companies, including Parisian GenSight, are in the process of advancing a number of technologies to address different underlying mutations that cause blindness.
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The Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation
Founded with a simple mission; to cure blindness as a result of direct intervention before 2035, the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation aims to close the treatment gap for the world’s poorest sufferers and has achieved remarkable results so far. Since its initial launch, the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation has screened over 63,257 and cured over 5,335 patients of blindness throughout the world, although largely in Nepal, by establishing a series of makeshift camps. In 2022, Tej Kohli and Dr Sanduk Ruit will ramp up their progress by extending their efforts to Ethiopia, Indonesia, Tanzania, Pakistan, Bhutan, and Laos.
- Cell regeneration
When it comes to curing blindness in the late stages of the disease, cell regeneration has emerged as an extremely promising development in recent years. This is because stem cells can be tricked into becoming any type of cell and, therefore, used to grow brand-new retinal cells ready for transplantation. Studies may have only been conducted on animals so far, but this hasn’t stopped a number of investors, such as Tony Robbins, Bill Maris, and Peter Diamandis, from turning their attention to the latest healthcare development to hit the headlines and investing in regenerative medicine.
When it comes to the race to cure blindness, a number of promising developments have emerged in recent years. This includes gene therapy, the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation, and cell regeneration. As 2022 progresses, further research and testing will lead us closer to determining whether a cure for blindness is in the pipeline or whether more work must be done before we can envision a light at the end of the tunnel. This comes as technology continues to advance at a seemingly unstoppable pace and paves the way for healthcare experts and investors to contribute towards eventually finding a cure for blindness that is attainable for sufferers around the world.
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