Author: Andrew McClean

Published: 16/03/2020

Researchers at the University of Bristol have successfully used gene editing techniques to demonstrate a potential one-time therapy for glaucoma.

Funded by Fight for Sight and published in Molecular Therapy, researchers found that the CRISPR technique prevented the build-up of fluid and resulting increase in eye pressure by altering the aquaporin-1 gene.

It is hoped that the treatment can be taken to clinical trial in the next few years and become available in the next decade.

Dr Colin Chu, lead researcher at the University of Bristol, said: ‘The benefit of this new treatment is that with one simple injection we could potentially reduce someone’s eye pressure for a long time. In theory because it permanently edits the genetic code, a single treatment might be all you need.’

Fight for Sight highlighted that the findings of this research are promising for patients who use existing treatments and have not experienced a reduction in eye pressure.

Dr Rubina Ahmed, head of research at Fight for Sight, said: ‘Dr Chu’s work represents a significant breakthrough for eye research and shows the importance of science to find new treatments for the prevailing causes of sight loss.’