Can stem cells repair optic nerve?

This may lead to permanent vision loss and disability,” said Dr. Bernstein. “The presence of neural stem/progenitor cells opens the door to new treatments to repair damage to the optic nerve, which is very exciting news.”

Can optic nerve atrophy be treated?

Optic atrophy is a condition that affects the optic nerve, which carries impulses from the eye to the brain. (Atrophy means to waste away or deteriorate.) There is no effective treatment for this condition.

How do you stimulate the optic nerve?

Scientists have developed technology to restore some sight to the blind. Their method bypasses the eyeball and instead stimulates the optic nerve with a new type of intraneural electrode called OpticSELINE. The results were reported today in Nature Biomedical Engineering.

Can optic atrophy be stopped?

Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment for optic atrophy. Once the nerve fibers in the optic nerve are lost they never heal or grow back. However, early diagnosis and treatment of the underlying causes of optic atrophy can help prevent further damage from the disease.

What causes optic atrophy?

Optic atrophy is the end stage of a variety of causes of damage to the optic nerve anywhere along its length. There is most often no known cause; however, possible causes include direct trauma, pressure on or toxic damage to the nerve, and nutritional deficiencies.

What are the signs of optic atrophy?

Blurred vision.

Difficulties with peripheral (side) vision.

Difficulties with color vision.

A reduction in sharpness of vision.

What happens if the optic nerve is damaged?

Damage to an optic nerve or damage to its pathways to the brain results in loss of vision. At a structure in the brain called the optic chiasm, each optic nerve splits, and half of its fibers cross over to the other side. Because of this anatomic arrangement, damage along the optic nerve pathway causes specific patterns of vision loss.

What causes nerve atrophy?

Eye diseases, such as glaucoma, can also cause a form of optic nerve atrophy. The condition can also be caused by diseases of the brain and central nervous system. These may include: Brain tumor.