Optogenetics and Blindness

Gene therapy and optogenetics are used to treat blindness that was caused by retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and advanced dry-aged related macular degeneration. The two conditions cause the photoreceptors of the retina to die off, gradually. Which would cause difficulty seeing especially in low light. Eventually the loss of vision would be complete and would result in blindness. In the experiment, researches utilized a virus that was modified to contain a gene for an algae called Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2). ChR2 is a light sensitive protein. Researchers hypothesized that when ChR2 is injecting into the subjects eye, ChR2 would start expressing and taking over the dead opsins. Since ChR2 is light sensitive, the patient would be able to regain some eyesight, even though it might be in black and white and blurry.