Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is a hereditary disease that worsens the condition of the retina so that the patient completely or partially loses his vision. While conventional treatment tries to control the symptoms arising from the illness, the discoveries in stem cells help patients in a better way.
Understanding Retinitis Pigmentosa
Before we understand stem cell therapy in Retinitis Pigmentosa treatment let us first understand what the condition is all about. Retinitis Pigmentosa is the degeneration of the photoreceptor layer in the retina mainly involving the rod cells and to some extent, the cone cells. This degeneration leads to night blindness, tunnel vision, and total blindness as the situation gets worse.
Stem cell therapy involves the direct application of stem cells, Retinal Progenitor Cells or Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC’s), that replace the damaged or lost Retinal cells. These stem cells have the ability to turn into various types of retinal cells for example photoreceptor cells to restore sight and thus stop continued deterioration.
Stem cell therapy Approaches to treat Retinitis Pigmentosa
- Differentiation Potential: Some of the approaches include directing the stem cells to differentiate into specific types of retinal cells that are lost in the disease and replacing them.
- Neuroprotection: Neurotrophic factors that are released by the stem cells help in the protection of the existing cells in the retina from being destroyed.
- Integration: Stem cells migrate into the host retina and establish synapses with other cells thus restoring the vision in the affected area.
Clinical Applications in India
India’s healthcare sector is at the forefront of exploring and implementing stem cell therapy for Retinitis Pigmentosa:
- Personalized Treatments: In autologous stem cell therapies, the patient’s cells are extracted, and processed with a view to increasing the stem cell activity before the cells are injected back into the patient’s body. This reduces the possibility of rejection by the patient.
- Allogeneic Approaches: The use of donor stem cells together with research in areas related to umbilical stem cells is done to try and widen the patient’s choice where they may not qualify for autologous treatments.
Accessibility and Affordability
India has an edge in the aspect of both accessibility and cost to the patients who are intent on receiving the best treatments like stem cell therapy for Retinitis Pigmentosa. Generally, the expense is less as compared to the developed countries of the West and therefore India becomes a feasible place for those seeking such modern solutions.
Looking Ahead
With new developments in research on the real structure of Retinitis Pigmentosa and the ongoing improvements in stem cell treatments, India keeps pace in the delivery and advancement of outstanding ophthalmologic services. Explorations between various institutions provide hope to discover new strategies regarding treatment and care to manage retinitis pigmentosa.
Conclusion
Stem cell therapy offers light to people diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa since it has the prospect of improving vision in those affected. Stem cell therapies are the hope to alter the map of ophthalmic sciences so that blindness due to Retinitis Pigmentosa can be treated offering the patient hope of leading a normal life.