Uurfine Ouro Nanoparticles – Thousands of times thinner than a hair human hair – Coated with antibodies were in the retina for months without causing toxicity and partially restored the vision of rats.
A new technique uses gold nanoparticles to treat macular degeneration Age -related (DMRI) – One of the leading causes of vision loss around the world, especially among the elderly – as well as other similar degenerative diseases of the eyes.
The technique, which will be minimally invasive, uses Uurfine Ouro Nanoparticles – Thousands of times thinner than a hair human hair – coated with antibodies. These particles are injected into the vitreous chamber of the eye, the gel -filled space between the lens and the retina.
Once at the scene, a low -intensity infrared laser is used to activate nanoparticles, stimulating specific retinal cells very similar to healthy photoreceptors, according to the study led by the biomedical engineer Jirui Nie from the University of Brown and the ACS Nano on March 20.
Therapy has already been tested on genetically modified rats to have retinal disorders. The results are promising: Not only did nanoparticles remained in the retina for months without toxicity, but they also managed to activate the visual system, partially restoring the view of animals.
DMRI damages maculathe central part of the retinal responsible for clear vision, causing cloudy vision and visual impairment. Current treatments can only slow the progression of the disease, not to reverse it.
Em Portugalabout 12% of people aged 55 and over suffer from the disease. that there are about 310,000 people with early form and about 45,000 with the late or advanced form in the country.
What differentiates the new technique from current treatments for DMRI and similar diseases, such as pigmentary retinitis, is its non -invasive nature. Traditional methods usually involve surgery or large implants.
“This is a new type of retinal prosthesis that has the potential to restore lost vision due to retinal degeneration without the need for any kind of complicated surgery or genetic modification,” says Nie quoted by.
Although the way for clinical use in humans requires more testing and improvement, innovation can transform current treatment paradigms and restore vision without complex surgery or genetic interventions, researchers notice.
