Friday, August 18, 2023

A new cure for blindness in one eye, thanks to stem cells

Plus more health news |

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A new cure for blindness, thanks to stem cells
By Jamie Ducharme
Health Correspondent

Health news is often pretty scary and depressing, especially over the past few years. So it’s always nice when we can highlight research with the power to truly improve people’s lives.

A new study, published today in Science Advances, is in that category. It describes a new method of using a person’s own corneal stem cells to restore their vision after a catastrophic eye injury that couldn’t otherwise be treated. The paper details only four successful cases, but it’s a “stepping stone” toward a whole new world of cell therapies, the study’s principal investigator told me.

Nick Kharufeh, one of the trial participants, lost sight in his left eye after a fireworks accident in 2020. Today, he can see well enough to navigate his apartment and cross the street using only his injured eye—a once-unfathomable, but very positive, development in what he described to me as the “emotional rollercoaster” of his last three years.

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What Else to Read
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Companies are beginning to expand health benefits to cover menopause as Millennials start to enter perimenopause.
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When used right, air conditioning can improve indoor air quality. But if your system is dirty, it can make it worse.
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One Last Read
What happens when artificial intelligence becomes an ingredient in your daily meals?

The Wall Street Journal set out to determine whether OpenAI's ChatGPT could develop meal plans to help people save time, lose weight, and even manage chronic conditions. Reporter Alex Janin discovered a host of limitations, from the serious (adding almond milk to a nut-free diet) to the seriously unappetizing (mixing chocolate Cheerios with tofu).

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Today's newsletter was written by Jamie Ducharme and Angela Haupt, and edited by Elijah Wolfson.

 
 
 
 
 
 

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