Stem Cells Application in Eye Regeneration and Restoration of Vision

Eye tissues mostly comprise terminally differentiated cells or limited sets of stem cells with little potential for differentiation and regeneration. Eye damage in humans is irreversible, and eye transplantation is not the most feasible option to restore eyesight for individuals who have lost vision from various underlying causes of tissue damage, autoimmunity, and genetic anomalies. In most cases, vision loss arises from partial damage to eye tissue. Stem cell transplantation and eye tissue genesis have emerged as tools to correct specific damage and can be an ideal therapeutic approach to restoring vision and repairing damaged tissues. Interestingly, iPSCs, ESCs, MSCs, and lab-grown tissue organoids can pave the foundation for the restoration of vision among individuals with inherited rare genetic disorders and those who succumbed to accidental vision loss arising from the damaged cornea, lens, retina, retinal pigmental epithelia, and optic nerves. Overcoming regulatory compliances, soon lab-grown organoids, and technological advances for growing eye cells in mass potentiate the idea of stem cell–guided therapeutics for accidental and hereditary blindness.