Cure on way for colour blindness.SCIENTISTS have cured colour blindness colour blindness Inability to distinguish one or more colours. The human retina contains three types of cone cells that absorb light in different parts of the spectrum. Absence of these types causes colour blindness to red, green, and blue. in monkeys, bringing hope to millions of colour blind humans worldwide. Researchers from the University of Washington and the University of Florida University of Florida is the third-largest university in the United States, with 50,912 students (as of Fall 2006) and has the eighth-largest budget (nearly $1.9 billion per year). UF is home to 16 colleges and more than 150 research centers and institutes. made the breakthrough with two squirrel monkeys using gene therapy. Experts believe the news casts a rosy light on the potential to treat adult vision disorders involving "cone cells" - the most important human vision cells. Ophthalmic molecular geneticist ge·net·i·cist n. A specialist in genetics. geneticist a specialist in genetics. geneticist , Professor William Hauswirth, said: "Although colour blindness is only moderately lifealtering, we've shown we can cure a cone disease in a primate, and that it can be done very safely." Colour blindness mostly hits men, leaving about 8% of Caucasian men in the US incapable of discerning red and green hues, important for everyday things like seeing traffic lights. |
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