22
May
How Encapsulated Cell Therapy Can Slow Vision Loss
Many people with eye disease gradually lose their vision as a result of an eye disease called Geographic Atrophy, but there is a new medical procedure called encapsulated cell therapy that can help slow down vision loss. Encapsulated cell therapy is defined as the enclosing of cells that are capable of producing a desired substance. It takes place in an non immunogenic sheath and its purpose is to restore lost function. A recent study was done that showed this type of therapy is very effective at slowing down vision loss. The study was done by the University of California and the Shiley Eye Center and had a total of using a total of 51 patients. 27 of the patients received encapsulated cell therapy, while the other 24 received either sham surgery of low-dose ciliary neutrophic factor.
The results of this study were that 96 of the patients who received encapsulated cell therapy showed improvement in their vision compared to the patients who were in the other two groups. The patients who recieved encapsulated cell therapy also had improvement in their vision in as little as four months. This clearly shows that this procedure is very effective in slowing down vision loss.