Blind Girl Sees Thanks To Stem Cells

[RandFan]

Blind girl gains sight (http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2008/09/26/dnt.mo.stem.cell.cure.kmbc)

Is this a first or have there been other similar advancements. I've posted this in this forum because I've heard from conservative pundits, IIRC, that it was unlikely that stem cells could have any such success.

[EGarrett]

Once again, science delivers miracles that bulls--t superstition can only lie about.

[geni]

There was a case in California a while back. Not entirely effective.

Are we talking embryonic stem cells or adult here?

[GreNME]

Wow. Just wow. That is a truly awesome story. I can't wait to share it. Thanks for the link, RandFan.

[epeos76]

Here's an article (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?indexed=google&rid=webvision.chapter.ch34regeneration2) from 2005 talking about the state of the art at the time. Apparently, the biggest limit is the flexibility of the surrounding brain tissue, which gets worse with age. I'm sure it changes in fits and starts, but presumably the younger you are the better the procedure would work.

[Safe-Keeper]

Once again, science delivers miracles that bulls--t superstition can only lie about.


http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r292/safe-keeper/Science.jpg


Is this a first or have there been other similar advancements.Well, she's not the first blind person to be given sight, but the video makes it sound as if she's been blind from birth, in which case it's a first as far as I know. I'm a layman, though, so I wouldn't know.

[GodMark2]

Blind girl gains sight (http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2008/09/26/dnt.mo.stem.cell.cure.kmbc)

Is this a first or have there been other similar advancements. I've posted this in this forum because I've heard from conservative pundits, IIRC, that it was unlikely that stem cells could have any such success.

About 5-6 years ago, a good friend of mine flew to Russia to have similar surgery performed to repair his optic nerve. He was the sixth patient to receive that procedure (only 3 of the 5 prior regained any sight). He was not blind from birth (head trauma caused it), but had been sightless for several years (Explained it was about the level of 'sight' that you have when your eyes are tightly shut: he knew roughly where the sun is, but nothing more). Unfortunately, at the time, the procedure used one eye socket as an access path to the surgery area, so they could only fix the other eye.

So it's not a first, but certainly another step along the way. Standing on the shoulders of giants and brave little girls.

[Polaris]

I'll drink to that.

[RandFan]

There was a case in California a while back. Not entirely effective.

Are we talking embryonic stem cells or adult here?Good question. I did some research today and the conservative position, as far as I can tell is that embryonic stem cells have never demonstrated any such breakthrough.

[shemp]

You Evil A-theist Satanists know the truth! The Evil A-theist Chinese Satanists grab little angels from the womb and kill them so that Evil A-theist Satanists can have their precious God-given stem cells! Science is a lie! Jesus did it! Jesus loves little children! WHY DO YOU HATE JESUS AND LITTLE CHILDREN???*

*The preceding is for entertainment purposes only. The standard disclaimers apply. And please, no wagering.

[Beerina]

You Evil A-theist Satanists know the truth! The Evil A-theist Chinese Satanists grab little angels from the womb and kill them so that Evil A-theist Satanists can have their precious God-given stem cells! Science is a lie! Jesus did it! Jesus loves little children! WHY DO YOU HATE JESUS AND LITTLE CHILDREN???*


I bet some won't realize your sarcasm.


*The preceding is for entertainment purposes only. The standard disclaimers apply. And please, no wagering.

Awwwww! :mad:

[EGarrett]

[CENTER][CENTER]the video makes it sound as if she's been blind from birth, in which case it's a first as far as I know. I'm a layman, though, so I wouldn't know.Something's not right. If she was blind from birth she wouldn't have spontaneously said "hello" when she saw her face in the mirror. From what I understand, born-blind people who get to see have to learn from scratch how to interpret what their eyes show them.

[Safe-Keeper]

Something's not right. If she was blind from birth she wouldn't have spontaneously said "hello" when she saw her face in the mirror. From what I understand, born-blind people who get to see have to learn from scratch how to interpret what their eyes show them.I've been wondering about this, too, 'cause this is my impression, too. My old psychology textbook from high school (obviously not the world's best source, but still) had a story of a blind guy who didn't remember seeing, and just stared blankly when waking up after surgery with sight. He didn't recognize the blurry faces staring down at him as such until one of them said something, at which point he saw his moving mouth and realized that he was looking at a face. When he got home, he had to be guided around his house and told to touch the various household items and furniture to identify them, as everything was all of a sudden new to him.

I don't know, really. I'd be happy if someone knew more about this, how much time it usually takes before someone recognizes faces after gaining sight