Scientists hope to roll out the treatment to more patients (Picture: Getty Images)

An elderly woman has undergone the first skin-to-eye cell transplant and scientists have hailed it a success.

A small piece of skin (4mm to be precise) was taken from a 70-year-old woman’s arm and used to help improve her diminished eyesight.

How does this work?

Your skin cells can be reprogrammed into pluripotent stem cells, which is a type of cell that can be adapted into almost any type of tissue within the body.


In this case it was used to create retinal tissue for the eye.

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The pilot study was able to replicate cells to be transplanted behind the retina (Picture: Getty Images)

Scientists in Japan have managed to coax the cells into retinal pigment epithelium (which is a long name to describe the pigmented cell layer across your retina).



It was then grown into an ultra-thin sheet, which was transplanted behind the patient’s retina.

Job done!

The team at the Riken Centre for Developmental Biology in Japan actually conducted the procedure in 2014, but they wanted to monitor the patient’s progress, and after two years it’s looking good.

The transplanted cells have survived and the woman’s eyesight is said to have slightly improved.

The woman said her eyesight has ‘brightened and widened’ following the procedure (Picture: Getty Images)

Project leader Masayo Takahashi said he was pleased that there were no signs of rejection in the pilot study and it the team will continue to forge ahead until the treatment becomes available to more patients.

The patient, who has remained anonymous, told The Japan Times: ‘I am glad I received the treatment. I feel my eyesight has brightened and widened.’

The study has shown a significant step forward in the use of pluripotent stem cells, and although it is not a full restoration, it is hoped the technology will help to treat other illnesses like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.