Research into the retina and optic nerve using stem-cell models has unveiled specific genetic markers of glaucoma—the world’s leading cause of permanent blindness— possibly opening up new treatments for the condition.
Glaucoma is a blanket term describing a group of eye conditions that do damage to the retinal ganglion cells—neurons near the inner eye— that make up the optic nerve. The optic nerve is the part of the eye that receives light and transmits it to the brain; thus, the damage that glaucoma does leads to permanent blindness. The condition is predicted to affect around 80 million people by 2040, yet treatments are extremely limited.
