A groundbreaking study published in the journal ACS Nano suggests that injecting gold nanoparticles into the retina and stimulating them with lasers could restore partial vision to millions of people suffering from retinal disorders such as macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.
Researchers at Brown University successfully tested this method on laboratory mice, restoring their vision. The technique bypasses damaged photoreceptors by stimulating bipolar and ganglion cells, which interpret signals made by the photoreceptors and send them to the brain.
The gold nanoparticles generate heat when stimulated with infrared light, activating the bipolar and ganglion cells. This stimulation technique is particularly valuable for patients with macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa, as it leaves these “further up” cells unscathed.
“This is a new type of retinal prosthesis that has the potential to restore vision lost to retinal degeneration without requiring any kind of complicated surgery or genetic modification,” said Jiarui Nie, lead author on the study. The technique could transform treatment paradigms for retinal degenerative conditions.
To transfer this technology to humans, researchers envision a pair of glasses or goggles that can capture data from the surrounding environment and drive the infrared laser pattern. This approach is less invasive than current methods, which involve surgically implanted electrodes in the eye. The nanoparticle solution covers the entire retina, providing increased resolution.
While gold nanoparticles have been used in various medical applications, this therapy has the potential to be priceless for those struggling with retinal disorders.
Source: https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/a64593150/gold-nanoparticles-vision/