Corneal stem cell transplants can restore sight to burned eyes.

A breakthrough study published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that stem cell transplants can restore sight to eyes blinded by caustic chemical burns. This is great news for the thousands of people who are blinded each year by chemicals splashed in their eyes at work or at home, according to an Associated Press report.

Sight was completely restored for 82 of the 107 people in the study and was partially restored for another 14 people. The results held up over a 10-year follow-up period. U.C. Davis ophthalmologist Dr. Ivan Schwab, who was not involved with the study, called it “a roaring success.”

Researchers used a few stem cells from each patient’s own healthy eye, multiplied them in a lab, and placed them into the same patient’s burned eye. The cells then developed into healthy, new corneal tissue and replaced the tissue that had been burned.  No anti-rejection drugs were necessary because the cells were from the patient’s own body.

The study noted that the procedure would not work for damaged optic nerves or macular degeneration, because those issues involve the retina. Nor could the procedure be used where both eyes were blinded because cells must be taken from the person’s own healthy eye. At present, people with cornea burns in both eyes can get an artificial cornea or a stem cell transplant from a cadaver. Both of those procedures, however, carry risks of complications.

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have been representing injury victims since 1976, and have special expertise in cases involving burn injury.  The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.