<p>Scientists claim to have developed an 'artificial retina' which could restore near-normal vision to the blind, a finding which can benefit millions.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Researchers made the blind mice see clearly with radical new implant and the creatures' vision could track images and discern features.<br /><br />This new approach provides hope for the 25 million people worldwide who suffer from blindness due to diseases of the retina.<br /><br />The researchers say they have also cracked the code for a monkey retina, which is essentially identical to that of a human and hope to quickly design and test a device that blind humans can use.<br /><br />As drug therapies help only a small fraction of this population, prosthetic devices are their best option for future sight.<br /><br />"This is the first prosthetic that has the potential to provide normal or near-normal vision because it incorporates the code," Dr Sheila Nirenberg, neuroscientist from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York ,said.<br /><br />"We can make blind mouse retinas see and we're moving as fast as we can to do the same in humans," Nirenberg, who is honing the technique, said in a statement.<br /><br />The technique, using high-tech spectacles containing a tiny camera rather than surgery, could be tested on people for the first time in just one to two years.<br /><br />"It's an exciting time. We can make blind mouse retinas see, and we're moving as fast as we can to do the same in humans," said Nirenberg.<br /><br />"This has all been thrilling, I can't wait to get started on bringing this approach to patients," she said.<br /><br />The first beneficiaries are likely to be sufferers of age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in the elderly.<br /><br />There are few treatments and no cure for the condition which makes it difficult or impossible to carry out everyday tasks such as reading, driving and watching television.<br />Scientists have already created implantable chips that restore some vision.<br /><br />But Nirenberg says that her technique produces a much clearer picture. In fact, vision is close to normal.</p>
<p>Scientists claim to have developed an 'artificial retina' which could restore near-normal vision to the blind, a finding which can benefit millions.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Researchers made the blind mice see clearly with radical new implant and the creatures' vision could track images and discern features.<br /><br />This new approach provides hope for the 25 million people worldwide who suffer from blindness due to diseases of the retina.<br /><br />The researchers say they have also cracked the code for a monkey retina, which is essentially identical to that of a human and hope to quickly design and test a device that blind humans can use.<br /><br />As drug therapies help only a small fraction of this population, prosthetic devices are their best option for future sight.<br /><br />"This is the first prosthetic that has the potential to provide normal or near-normal vision because it incorporates the code," Dr Sheila Nirenberg, neuroscientist from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York ,said.<br /><br />"We can make blind mouse retinas see and we're moving as fast as we can to do the same in humans," Nirenberg, who is honing the technique, said in a statement.<br /><br />The technique, using high-tech spectacles containing a tiny camera rather than surgery, could be tested on people for the first time in just one to two years.<br /><br />"It's an exciting time. We can make blind mouse retinas see, and we're moving as fast as we can to do the same in humans," said Nirenberg.<br /><br />"This has all been thrilling, I can't wait to get started on bringing this approach to patients," she said.<br /><br />The first beneficiaries are likely to be sufferers of age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in the elderly.<br /><br />There are few treatments and no cure for the condition which makes it difficult or impossible to carry out everyday tasks such as reading, driving and watching television.<br />Scientists have already created implantable chips that restore some vision.<br /><br />But Nirenberg says that her technique produces a much clearer picture. In fact, vision is close to normal.</p>