BLIND BOY, 14, REGAINS VISION THROUGH EYEDROPS UTILIZING INACTIVATED HERPES VIRUS

In a remarkable medical breakthrough, a 14-year-old, who had lived most of his life without sight, now has the gift of vision, thanks to an innovative Miami doctor. The world’s first topical gene therapy, originally formulated for skin lesions caused by a sporadic disease leading to severe wounds and scar tissue, has been successfully adapted as eye drops.

Initially approved as a topical gel for treating skin lesions associated with the disease, which sometimes causes the fusion of fingers and toes due to scar tissue buildup, the ground-breaking medication has now shown promising results in restoring vision for the teenager.

The disorder, part of a group of rare conditions known as epidermolysis bullosa (EB), affects approximately one in every 50,000 children. Apart from its skin manifestations, the disease can also cause scar tissue buildup on the eyeballs, leading to vision impairment.