"Revolutionary Gene Therapy Eyedrops Offer Hope for Restoring Vision to Millions"

Gene therapy given through eyedrops has successfully restored the sight of a 14-year-old boy with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, a rare genetic condition that causes blisters in the eyes. The treatment, called Vyjuvek, uses an inactivated herpes simplex virus to deliver working copies of the gene responsible for producing collagen 7, which holds together both skin and corneas. The therapy not only helped the boy, but also opened the door to potential treatments for millions of people with other eye diseases. The gene therapy eyedrops could be adapted to treat various conditions by changing the gene delivered by the virus, offering hope for future patients.