Stem cell contact lenses cure blindness in less than a month.

[Mutant Funk Drink]

http://gizmodo.com/5277456/stem-cell...s-than-a-month


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYDSPFuWFDM
[youtube]RYDSPFuWFDM[/youtube]

Here's something that people with poor or no vision will be excited about: three patients had their sight restored in less than a month by contact lenses cultured with stem cells.

All three patients were blind in one eye. The researchers extracted stem cells from their working eyes, cultured them in contact lenses for 10 days, and gave them to the patients. Within 10 to 14 days of use, the stem cells began recolonizing and repairing the cornea.

Of the three patients, two were legally blind but can now read the big letters on an eye chart, while the third, who could previously read the top few rows of the chart, is now able to pass the vision test for a driver's license. The research team isn't getting over excited, still remaining unsure as to whether the correction will remain stable, but the fact that the three test patients have been enjoying restored sight for the last 18 months is definitely encouraging. The simplicity and low cost of the technique also means that it could be carried out in poorer countries.

This is incredible and potentially game changing. It's stuff like this that makes you realize that we live in the future, and it's awesome.

[kirby]

THATS AMAZING!

Just imagine, if you have poor vision, it can be corrected even without laser surgery!

[AsylumSeaker]

Originally Posted by kirby

THATS AMAZING!
laser eyes!

FUCK YEAH!!

[Aldaraia]

If this stuff continues work out, then I can finally drop my intense fear of blindness, although eye gouge would still be an issue. I take it this can cure the problems left behind by glaucoma as well?

[Cytosine]

And so it begins. First eyes, soon entire organ systems.

*lights a cigarette and opens a beer*

[AsylumSeaker]

I've seen some work by dudes replacing lost fingers, entire limbs in rats, and growing brand new adult teeth also.

[NamelessNom4d]

*smokes a bowl*

Daammnnnn dude... we like, live in the future...!

*stares at screen and ponders*

[Transparent]

I like the future. Only a matter of time before things like deafness and blindness will be a thing of the past. I can't wait till there's performance hearts and other cyborgish type things.

[Cliche Guevara]

I wonder if it can repair severe astigmatism. i.e reform the shape of the eye.

[Equinox]

Hmm... This looks promising. My father is completely blind in one eye and the other isn't 100% either. Of course, he'll probably be dead by the time this is available to everyone, and cheaply.

[Mantikore]

Its stuff like this that restores my hope in humanity

[el drewto]

Originally Posted by Mantikore

Its stuff like this that restores my hope in humanity

Until you find out those contacts are $1000 a pop.

[Syphilis]

This thread makes me happy. It also pisses me off, as I know that the religious whacks are doing their best to slow down stem cell related research and human cloning, etc, although it's hugely useful.

[Dog]

*faps to a picture of Obama*

It's scary to think where this country/world would be if the retarded half always got its way.

[JustAnotherAsshole]

Originally Posted by Syphilis

This thread makes me happy. It also pisses me off, as I know that the religious whacks are doing their best to slow down stem cell related research and human cloning, etc, although it's hugely useful.

And they do it in part by hiding it's incredible potential. Spread the word of this shit. Spread the word that they used stem-cells from the patients own eyes.

Also, last I checked, healing the blind was a Miracle.

Originally Posted by el drewto

Until you find out those contacts are $1000 a pop.

New technology always gets cheaper over time. In a hundred years (Probably less.), they'll probably be selling these behind the counter.

Now, could someone in the know tell me if one could enhance a properly working organ or body part by applying stem-cells? Could you make your eyes see more sharply?

[AsylumSeaker]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherAsshole

Now, could someone in the know tell me if one could enhance a properly working organ or body part by applying stem-cells? Could you make your eyes see more sharply?

Watch this shit:

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/ju...w_science.html

[Dog]

Does anyone know what the theoretical extent of stem-cell treatments could be in the future? Like...could it regrow/repair essentially a person's entire body? Immortality? Reviving a clinically dead person?

[AsylumSeaker]

Originally Posted by PizzaNazi

...could it regrow/repair essentially a person's entire body? Immortality? Reviving a clinically dead person?

Those are the goals.

[Clarphimous]

Originally Posted by AsylumSeaker

Those are the goals.

Well... the clinical term for death is now brain death. The brain does start deteriorating rather rapidly, so there's not much time after the person's body starts to die that you can truly revive them.

One problem I've heard they have with stem cells is that even though they tend to work very well, they also tend to cause tumors. Maybe they don't have to worry about it as much with the cornea, or they've found a way to deal with it.

I find it amazing that they're actually taking this experiment with the eye and testing it on humans (and succeeding). Most of the time I just hear about experiments with lab animals.

BTW, if it was only $1000, that would be great. If you think that is a large amount, you have no idea how expensive most medical procedures are. That would be a small price to pay to have vision again.

[Satyr]

I could be mistaking, but I think this only works for a certain kind of blindness, so not everyone is helped with this. It still kicks ass though. I'm curious whether they can fix deafness as well with this.

[Clarphimous]

Originally Posted by Satyr

I could be mistaking, but I think this only works for a certain kind of blindness, so not everyone is helped with this. It still kicks ass though. I'm curious whether they can fix deafness as well with this.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releas...-sfs060909.php

I found this. It says that the current procedure can fix damage to the cornea, but they're hoping to expand it to other parts of the eye and other organs, particularly the skin.

[Dog]

Originally Posted by Clarphimous

Well... the clinical term for death is now brain death. The brain does start deteriorating rather rapidly, so there's not much time after the person's body starts to die that you can truly revive them.

One problem I've heard they have with stem cells is that even though they tend to work very well, they also tend to cause tumors. Maybe they don't have to worry about it as much with the cornea, or they've found a way to deal with it.

I find it amazing that they're actually taking this experiment with the eye and testing it on humans (and succeeding). Most of the time I just hear about experiments with lab animals.

BTW, if it was only $1000, that would be great. If you think that is a large amount, you have no idea how expensive most medical procedures are. That would be a small price to pay to have vision again.

Yeah, most of the special eye treatments out there go for around 1000 anyways, so that's certainly not a bad price, especially for a cure for blindness.

[Dog]

Originally Posted by Satyr

I could be mistaking, but I think this only works for a certain kind of blindness, so not everyone is helped with this. It still kicks ass though. I'm curious whether they can fix deafness as well with this.

Well, some (perhaps most) types of blindness result from lesions to the nervous system, either somewhere along the optic nerve or in the brain. Still...maybe these cells could be used to repair those types of lesions too.

[7i8_Dago]

COO

[Former FBI Agent]

Originally Posted by el drewto

Until you find out those contacts are $1000 a pop.

To cure blindness that's really cheap.

[KillSwitch_J]

Originally Posted by AsylumSeaker

I've seen some work by dudes replacing lost fingers, entire limbs in rats, and growing brand new adult teeth also.

That would put a lot of dentists out of work if they could grow new adult teeth from stem cells.

[AsylumSeaker]

Originally Posted by KillSwitch_J

That would put a lot of dentists out of work if they could grow new adult teeth from stem cells.

It would also help millions of people who've had their livelihoods effected by lost teeth, get your priorities straight.
Anyway, dentists would still be needed to put the teeth in, jobs in bio-engineering growing the teeth would be opened up, etc.

[AsylumSeaker]

http://www.ted.com/talks/alan_russel...ur_bodies.html

[LiquidIce]

It's stuff like this that makes you realize that we live in the future, and it's awesome.

Exactly this. No more shit about religion and politics, but ways of curing blindness.
Where is your Jesus now, bitches?!

[OniDeathGod]

Humans certainly have come a long way
I think my work here is almost done