On the Brink of a Cure for Blindness

[Ian Mac]

It not ears, but it is eyes, and it likely the eyes and ears are innervated together because episodes of vertigo also include nystagmus (an inner ear problem causing eye problems). Perhaps the cells used to cure blindness will be the same as the cells used to cure hearing loss and tinnitus.

We should all hope they find the cure for blindness soon because then we can all focus on EARS.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/science/753001/cure-for-blindness-restore-sight-riken-centre

 

[Alue]

It's crazy what we know and what we can do about eyesight which is even more complex than hearing. Yet audiology is still stuck in the dark ages it seems.

 

[LadyDi]

When it comes to tinkering around with the body, its a lot easier to get at the eyes than the ears. Most of your auditory system is encased deep inside your head. I think that's part of the problem.

 

[Foncky]

Yep, next to the brain AND in a really hard bone.

Still amazing. So many people are waiting for this.

 

[bill 112]

I think if they developed a way of imaging a live human cochlea we would be leaps and bounds ahead on research by now but unfortunately that is not the case as of yet.

Its much easier with an eye as its sitting right there, easy to access and easy to observe but a cochlea is a whole other ballgame.
It's in the base of our skull encased in bone and it's no bigger than a pea, it's the perfect receipe for a hard time.
If they could develop a way to overcome this we would literally jump years ahead in my opinion.

 

[Reinier]

Except for accessibility I wonder if the processes could be somewhat similar.
After all photoreceptor cells are the ears hair-cells and also need to connect to send information to the brain.

 

[Ian Mac]

It's crazy what we know and what we can do about eyesight which is even more complex than hearing. Yet audiology is still stuck in the dark ages it seems.

Hearing is 10 times more complicated! Eyes are just light coming in.

Plus when you go blind your eyes don't start making noises!

 

[Vinnitus]

I think if they developed a way of imaging a live human cochlea we would be leaps and bounds ahead on research by now but unfortunately that is not the case as of yet.

Its much easier with an eye as its sitting right there, easy to access and easy to observe but a cochlea is a whole other ballgame.
It's in the base of our skull encased in bone and it's no bigger than a pea, it's the perfect receipe for a hard time.
If they could develop a way to overcome this we would literally jump years ahead in my opinion.

Your wishes might just be granted. It is being worked on as we speak.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/...ctions-in-real-time/?WT.mc_id=SA_FB_CHEM_NEWS

 

[Rubenslash]

Hearing is 10 times more complicated! Eyes are just light coming in.

Plus when you go blind your eyes don't start making noises!

What about visual snow?

 

[JurgenG]

Hearing is 10 times more complicated! Eyes are just light coming in.

Plus when you go blind your eyes don't start making noises!

Aren't the kinda equal on "complicatedness". Not that this is any competition..

 

[Aaron123]

Aren't the kinda equal on "complicatedness".

No. Eyes are much more accessible. Hair cells are also more complicated. Thus, work on eyes is much farther along including the first ever iPSC treatment.

 

[Ian Mac]

Aren't the kinda equal on "complicatedness". Not that this is any competition..

NO your eyes are right there on your face, I CAN SEE THEM, your inner ear? It's the size of a fingernail lodged deep in your skull, wrapped in a bony cochlear, when you look at the Cochlea inside your ears your first thought will be "there's no chance of getting in there ever, like ever."

 

[JurgenG]

NO your eyes are right there on your face, I CAN SEE THEM, your inner ear? It's the size of a fingernail lodged deep in your skull, wrapped in a bony cochlear, when you look at the Cochlea inside your ears your first thought will be "there's no chance of getting in there ever, like ever."

Well I would agree but explain cochlear implants?

 

[Ian Mac]

Well I would agree but explain cochlear implants?

what would you like me to explain about them?

 

[JurgenG]

what would you like me to explain about them?

That the cochlea is not unreachable and these implants have been placed in people for decades. The has nothing that looks like it, I think.

 

[Ian Mac]

That the cochlea is not unreachable and these implants have been placed in people for decades. The has nothing that looks like it, I think.

I didn't say it was unreachable. I said it was more complicated than getting to his EYES. LOLipop.

 

[Alue]

No. Eyes are much more accessible. Hair cells are also more complicated. Thus, work on eyes is much farther along including the first ever iPSC treatment.

That's a good point that they are more accessible. I just had a dilated fundus photography and macular oct done. Comparing what you can tell from those scans to an audiogram or ABR is pretty laughable.
As far as complexity, I'm not sure I agree that hearing is more complex. That being said, correcting partial hearing loss is much more complex than correcting eyesight. You can have 20/20 vision with contacts, but you will never have perfect hearing with hearing aids.