'Blind' mice see through water maze after retinal injection

Prof Robin Ali at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital explains the behaviour of 'blind' mice in a water maze test.

He said it was "ultimate proof" that a significant amount of vision had been restored.

The researchers tested the vision of treated and untreated blind mice.

The treated mice had their retina's injected with immature rod-photoreceptor cells, which are especially important for seeing in the dark.

Those mice with transplanted rod cells were able to see a visual cue to find a hidden platform enabling them to get out of the water in a dimly-lit maze. This was in contrast to untreated mice who found the platform only by chance, after lengthy exploration of the maze.

The findings are published in Nature.

Video filmed and produced by UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital.