The BBC is reporting what is being referred to as a landmark discovery as it pertains to the treatment of visually impaired and blind persons.

A Japanese team has been successful at growing a synthetic retina using mouse stem cells. The retina is a key component to a human’s ability to see since it allows rays of light to enter the eye and focus into picture which are sent along the optic nerve to the brain. If the retina is damaged due to trauma or disease it would cause an individual to lose some, if not all of their sight.

The promise the new discovery brings is the ability to produce retinal cells or a whole retina for repair or transplant in a patient. Current retinas for transplant come from human donors so if they can be produced from animal stem cells there could potentially be an endless supply available to patients as and when they need them. Incredibly, the technology could also lead to the growing of a whole eye using the technique.

Read more at BBC News as written by Brian Osborne on 11 April 2011.