Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 6, 2026
Author Spotlight: Advancing Vision Restoration - Stem Cell-Based Therapy for Retinal Diseases
Published on: October 6, 2023
Failure of stem cell therapy to improve visual acuity in children with optic nerve hypoplasia
Cassandra Fink1, Pamela Garcia-Filion, Mark Borchert
1The Vision Center, Department of Ophthalmology, USC Keck School of Medicine and Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
Purpose:
To evaluate the effectiveness of stem cell therapy in improving visual acuity or optic nerve function in children with optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH).
Methods:
Subjects with ONH aged 7-17 years who voluntarily elected to undergo stem cell therapy in China were matched with controls on age, visual acuity, and communication level. Visual acuity, optic nerve size, and sensitivity to light were assessed before stem cell therapy and twice after. Controls were evaluated on the same schedule.
Results:
Two case-control pairs were enrolled. There were no clinically significant changes in pupillary constriction or optic nerve measurements in any participant eye. Improvement in visual acuity was noted in study participants regardless of treatment status.
Conclusions:
On the basis of this small sample, there is no evidence that stem cell therapy improves visual acuity in children with ONH.
Related Concept Videos
01:22iPS Cell Differentiation
00:50Unrenewable Cells
Photoreceptors
The retina is composed of several layers and contains specialized cells called photoreceptors. The photoreceptors (rods and cones) change their membrane potential when stimulated by light energy. There are two types of photoreceptors—rods and cones—which differ in the shape of...