Scientists Use Gene Therapy To Cure Colorblind Monkeys

Miami, FL (AHN) – Scientists from two U.S. universities used gene therapy to cure colorblindness in two squirrel monkeys.

The scientists, from the University of Washington and the University of Florida, said in a statement that the experiment was part of ongoing research into using gene therapy to treat adult vision disorders involving cone cells. Cone cells are the most important cells for vision in humans.

The monkeys began gaining color vision about five weeks after they began treatment.

Color blindness is the most common genetic disorder in people, affecting about 3.5 million people in the United States. The condition impacts mostly men, and prohibit sufferers from distinguishing red and green hues.

Details of the experiment are published in the online version of the journal Nature.

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