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Breakthrough treatments for certain types of blindness

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    Dr. Manny weighs in

  • Duration 3:04
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A potential breakthrough for curing some types of blindness researchers are exploring a number of treatments that could help millions of people improve their vision.

Let's talk about what Dr.

Manny Alvarez managing editor of Fox News health and a member of the Fox News medical eighteen.

-- -- degeneration is the sort of catch all right preeminent.

-- of the leading one of the leading cause of blindness for you know age related macular degeneration affects over four million people in the US.

But they're so certain types of -- with the generation that also affects younger folks.

Off you know for the last ten years the treatment for these diseases have been very limited.

But now old the new research is really showing that this three potential pathways for -- -- One will be gene therapy -- -- scientists have already mapped out over 200 genes associated with blindness.

We're now they could see where the gene.

These alternative genes into the -- and that is reversing some of the psychology some of the cells abnormalities -- is improving vision.

The other thing that they're doing of course is the stem cell re implantation.

Now they're able to take stem cells re engineer them.

To some of the -- thousand excels and they re implanting those cells in the -- and that bush also showing promising.

And also remember a vitamin a is one of the leading ingredients that the that it's necessary for the -- to function.

And some of the degenerate if diseases would they do is they clump of vitamin a now all they can -- modify that vitamin a and with the pill -- -- better results in improving vision so very exciting things for people with this type of -- Obviously there are a lot of people out there who have had macular degeneration who used to be able to -- now either of their vision is cloudy or they can't see a thing.

But is there the prospect of actually bringing site backs of people who have lost it.

Listen I think that the optimism is if you look at staggered disease which is a single gene -- -- it affects teenagers for instance.

Now they're able to perhaps.

Reading -- those that that you -- gene therapy into the eyes and right now preliminary results but they're small but they're very promising you -- a reversal.

On the blindness had an improvement will you before you would see let's say hey and up secure object now you can see specific things in that object so.

You know that that did the potential is that it may be in ten or fifteen years once we begin to perfect more more of these therapies this problem may be eliminated.

Yes so it's not the kind of thing where you can run to the I clinic in the hospital now -- -- is gene therapy right now it's all experimental -- -- As experimental but there are many universities including here in New York Columbia university for us.

Where you can really call lobbed at the palm of ophthalmology is shaken Ryan -- -- some of the trials and I tell you this is being done throughout the US and you should check with your local.

A doctor or your -- -- care hospital to see if any of these Raza being on the take it like mom said you only have one -- eyes right take care of them don't -- pentagon thank you.

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