US study finds hope for AMD

Preliminary research on retinal transplants on patients with retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration is showing promising results, according to a report to be published in the August issue of American Journal of Ophthalmology.

The retinal cells taken from aborted foetuses were implanted into 10 people with both conditions. The concept behind the procedure was that the new cells would grow to replace the damaged photoreceptor cells, connecting to the patient's remaining retina.

The study conducted by a team from the University of Louisville found that seven out of 10 patients benefited from visual improvements which were measurable.