This research could pave the way for new therapies to treat vision loss.
When a neuron loses its connection to neighboring cells, that’s typically an irreversible fate. But in new research, scientists have found a way to revive the connections of light-sensing neurons in human retinas obtained from postmortem organ donor eyes.
Up to five hours after a person dies, eyes still typically respond to light. But those light-sensing cells, called photoreceptors, cannot communicate with other retina cells, rendering them essentially ineffective. A team of researchers managed to take human eyes from a newly deceased organ donor and, using a bespoke carrier for the eyes that kept them oxygenated in transport, maintained the flow of nutrients.
Much of vision loss research is conducted using mice or other animals. But mice do not have a macula, making findings in these model animals an imperfect match for human vision. These new methods could open up the scope of human vision research. It could also signal a potential future where vision loss due to macular degeneration and other neurodegenerative conditions might be reversed.
“The scientific community can now study human vision in ways that just aren’t possible with laboratory animals,” Vinberg added. “We hope this will motivate organ donor societies, organ donors, and eye banks by helping them understand the exciting new possibilities this type of research offers.” Age-related macular degeneration is a major cause of blindness worldwide, and is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness for Americans 65 years and older, according to the