Indian scientists have restored the sensitivity of the dog's retina to light using a virus

Gene therapy with the use of the virus has helped restore the reaction to the light of the eyes of mice and dogs with retinal degeneration. The virus injects the ion channel gene into the cells of the retina, after which the light-changing compounds when exposed to light join the ion channels, and they open up in response to light exposure.



Retinitis pigmentosa, which affects people of all ages, leads to a gradual loss of vision. The vision is lost, starting from the periphery, as a result of which the lateral vision is lost first. This is a hereditary disease. The method of dealing with it was proposed by Indian scientists, and it was tested on dogs and mice in laboratories in Berkeley . The retina of the dog's eyes is similar to the human one, which indicates the theoretical possibility of restoring eyesight in humans using this method.

Therapy involves the introduction of a virus with a common ion channel in the "blind" cells of the retina, dying due to diseases like pigmentary retinitis. Chemical events that change shape when light is injected interact with the ion channel, as a result of which they are again able to unfold in response to light.
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