Can CRISPR Cure Blindness?

Can CRISPR be used to treat blindness? In this video, Alex Dainis discusses how scientists have found that gene editing can improve vision in people with a form of inherited retinal degenerations, or IRD, that affects their levels of CEP20 proteins. IRD affects the retina, or the photosensitive layer at the back of the eye. This specific form of IRD does this by inhibiting the production of the CEP20 protein, which helps form sensory cells in the eyes. By editing the DNA sequences associated with CEP20 protein, scientists can promote healthy levels of CEP20 production, resulting in improved vision in a majority of patients!