Stem Cell Therapy for Eye Diseases

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Over 40 million Americans suffer from eye diseases- and this number is expected to double by 2050, according to the National Eye Institute. Diseases of the eye impact the nerves, the retina, blood vessels, the cornea, and muscles of the eye. Eye diseases develop as a part of aging, illness, or injury. If left untreated, eye diseases lead to pain, inflammation, degeneration, dystrophy, loss of vision, and permanent blindness.

Frequently Asked Questions


Q: What is Glaucoma?

A: Glaucoma is a disease that causes the buildup of fluid in the front of the eye. This fluid puts pressure on your optic nerve, damaging it. Two types of Glaucoma are:

  • Open-angle glaucoma. The most common type of the condition, known as open-angle glaucoma. Most glaucoma patients experience little to no symptoms besides the slow loss of vision, but some patients can experience blurred vision or distorted vision.
  • Angle-Closure Glaucoma: There is a more severe form of the disease, known as angle-closure glaucoma, that is very rare, and presents with symptoms of sudden eye pain, nausea, and visual disturbance. Patients with open-angle glaucoma are treated with medications like anti-glaucoma drugs and beta-blockers to reduce the pressure in the eye. Severe cases of the disease translate to laser surgery for patients to reduce pressure in the eye and help drain away from the excess fluid buildup.

Stem Cell Therapy for Glaucoma

Innovations Stem Cell Center treats glaucoma patients with SVF stem cell therapy through IV deployment. Once the stem cells have been deployed, they immediately go to work to heal damaged tissue. The stem cells repair damaged eye tissues just like they do in other areas of the body damaged by disease or injury- by regenerating cells to heal tissue and using growth factors that promote healing.

Q: Macular Degeneration

A: Macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in the United States, and affects over 10 million Americans- with 200,000 new cases of the disease being diagnosed each year.

What is Macular Degeneration?

Macular degeneration is incurable and is caused by the deterioration of the macula in the center part of the retina. The macula is the critical center of the eye and gives the ability to read, drive, see colors, and fine details. Damage occurs when deposits build up in on the macula (in the case of dry macular degeneration) or from abnormal blood vessels dripping blood on the macula (in the case of wet macular degeneration). Age is the primary factor behind the development of macular degeneration, but the condition can also be caused by genetics, race, and smoking.

Symptoms of Macular Degeneration

Symptoms of macular degeneration include vision loss or impairment, blurred vision, distorted vision, and seeing spots. Macular degeneration can be very scary for patients because they retain their peripheral vision, but lose the vision in the middle of their eye.

Treatment for Macular Degeneration

Treatments for eye disease include laser therapy to eliminate the abnormal blood vessels or removal of abnormal deposits in the eye. Some patients have seen some improvement, or at least the slowdown of symptoms with vitamin therapy. Although these treatments help for a little while, they do not cure the condition and patients are left facing vision loss.

Innovations Stem Cell Center treats macular degeneration patients with SVF stem cell therapy through IV deployment. Once the stem cells have been deployed, they immediately go to work to heal damaged tissue. The stem cells repair damaged eye tissues just like they do in other areas of the body damaged by disease or injury- by regenerating cells to heal tissue and using growth factors that promote healing. To read more about stem cells read our blogs What are Stem Cells? and Understanding Adipose-Derived Stem Cells.

Patients that have been treated with stem cell therapy for macular degeneration and other eye conditions at Innovations Stem Cell Center have seen some positive results of their treatment.

Q: Diabetic Retinopathy

A: Diabetic retinopathy is a serious complication of diabetes that causes blindness. Diabetic retinopathy is caused by damaging inflammation that is caused by diabetes and affects all tissues of the body, including the blood vessels of the eyes. When the blood vessels of the eyes are damaged, they leak blood and cause the retina to swell. This swelling blurs or impedes the vision. Diabetic retinopathy affects both eyes and can cause blindness.

Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy

Symptoms of the disease include blurred vision, poor night vision, and seeing spots or floaters. Some patients with diabetic retinopathy report having a dark spot in the center of their vision. Patients with diabetes not under control or those individuals with diabetes but have not been diagnosed have an especially high risk of going blind because of the condition.

Treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy

Conventional treatments for diabetic retinopathy include laser surgery to cauterize leaking blood vessels, along with medication to help decrease inflammation.

Innovations Stem Cell Center treats diabetic retinopathy patients with SVF stem cell therapy through IV deployment. Once the stem cells have been deployed, they immediately go to work to heal damaged tissue. The stem cells repair damaged eye tissues just like they do in other areas of the body damaged by disease or injury- by regenerating cells to heal tissue and using growth factors that promote healing.

Patients that have been treated with stem cell therapy for diabetic retinopathy and other eye conditions at Innovations Stem Cell Center have seen some positive results of their treatment.

Q: Stargardt’s Disease

A: Stargardt’s disease is a very rare eye disease – affecting only 1 out of 20,000 people. However rare, it is the most prevalent form of juvenile macular degeneration and affects children and adolescents. The disease causes the death of the light-sensing cells in the back of the eye, found in the macula of the retina. The macula is the part of the eye that allows the eye to focus sharply on fine details, read, and recognize faces. Like adult macular degeneration, Stargardt’s disease is also responsible for the loss of central vision, while peripheral vision is maintained. Symptoms include loss of central vision, blurred vision, difficulty seeing at night, and the inability to see color.

Treatments for Stargardt’s Disease

Treatments for Stargardt’s disease include drug therapy, and laser therapy to destroy abnormal blood vessels.

Innovations Stem Cell Center treats Stargardt’s disease patients with SVF stem cell therapy through IV deployment. Once the stem cells have been deployed, they immediately go to work to heal damaged tissue. The stem cells repair damaged eye tissues just like they do in other areas of the body damaged by disease or injury- by regenerating cells to heal tissue and using growth factors that promote healing.

Patients that have been treated with stem cell therapy for Stargardt’s disease and other eye conditions at Innovations Stem Cell Center have seen some positive results of their treatment.

Q: Corneal Diseases and Corneal Ulcers

A: Diseases of the cornea affect the cornea of the eye. The cornea is the transparent tissue located in the front of the eye that allows light to pass through to the pupil, lens, and the retina of the eye. The cornea also serves to protect the eye from debris and disease-causing bacteria. The cornea can become diseased or damaged by infections, injury, exposure to environmental factors, allergies, and vitamin deficiencies. Other corneal diseases are caused by autoimmune disorders, genetics, growths that develop on the surface of the eye, and disorders that cause corneal tissue degeneration.

Symptoms of Corneal Disease

Symptoms of corneal disease include irritation and redness around the cornea and a cloudy appearance to the normally translucent tissue. Some patients experience blurred or cloudy vision, light sensitivity, severe eye pain, and watering eyes. Severe cases of corneal disease are accompanied by nausea, tiredness, and head pain.

Corneal ulcers are painful open sores that develop on the corneal tissues and can cause loss of vision and even blindness. These painful ulcers can happen are a result of eye trauma, or from infection. Symptoms of corneal ulcers include red eyes, watering eyes, eye pain, and impaired vision.

Treatment of Corneal Disease

Treatment for corneal ulcers caused by infection may include antibiotics, antivirals, or antifungal medications to heal the sore, but some types of corneal ulcers do not heal readily. These sores cause severe eye pain and vision damage.

Innovations Stem Cell Center treats corneal diseases and non-healing corneal ulcers with SVF stem cell therapy through IV deployment. Once the stem cells have been deployed, they immediately go to work to heal damaged tissue. The stem cells repair damaged eye tissues just like they do in other areas of the body damaged by disease or injury- by regenerating cells to heal tissue and using growth factors that promote healing.

Patients that have been treated with stem cell therapy for corneal diseases and non-healing corneal ulcers at Innovations Stem Cell Center have seen some positive results of their treatment.

Q: Leber’s Disease

A: Leber’s disease, also known as Leber hereditary option neuropathy, is a genetic type of vision loss. Leber’s disease is a sudden loss of central vision, that occurs without warning. The condition usually strikes in one eye and within a few months, strikes the other eye. Peripheral vision remains intact, but patients are severely limited in their ability to drive, read, or other activities requiring central vision. The disease usually strikes in adolescence or young adulthood, but some patients develop the condition earlier or later. Men are at risk of developing the condition more than women. There are no current treatments for Leber’s disease in the United States, but some countries have treatments in trial phases.

Stem Cell Therapy for Leber’s Disease

Innovations Stem Cell Center treats Leber’s disease patients with SVF stem cell therapy through IV deployment. Once the stem cells have been deployed, they immediately go to work to heal damaged tissue. The stem cells repair damaged eye tissues just like they do in other areas of the body damaged by disease or injury- by regenerating cells to heal tissue and using growth factors that promote healing.

Patients that have been treated with stem cell therapy for Leber’s disease and other eye conditions at Innovations Stem Cell Center have seen some positive results of their treatment.

Q: Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO)

A: Central retinal vein occlusion is a condition that develops when the central retinal vein located in the back of the eye becomes blocked. This blockage causes blood and other fluid to leak onto the macula of the retina, blurring the vision. It can also cause the retina to be deprived of oxygen and become damaged. Central retinal vein occlusion is the second most common retinal vascular disorder in the United States, and usually affects patients age 50 or older. The disease is especially prevalent in patients with high cholesterol and diabetes. The disease leads to a sudden loss of vision that worsens over a few hours or days. Treatment of central retinal vein occlusion includes laser therapy to destroy blockages in the retinal vein, and drug and steroid therapy. These treatments do not cure the disease and treated patients still face vision loss.

Stem Cell Therapy for Central Retinal Occlusion

Innovations Stem Cell Center treats central retinal vein occlusion disease patients with SVF stem cell therapy through IV deployment. Once the stem cells have been deployed, they immediately go to work to heal damaged tissue. The stem cells repair damaged eye tissues just like they do in other areas of the body damaged by disease or injury- by regenerating cells to heal tissue and using growth factors that promote healing.

Patients that have been treated with stem cell therapy for central retinal vein occlusion and other eye conditions at Innovations Stem Cell Center have seen some positive results of their treatment.

Q: Optic Nerve Damage/Optic Atrophy/Optic Neuritis/Optic Neuropathy/Macular Hole

A:  Optic Nerve Damage

The optic nerve is the main nerve of the eye responsible for vision. The nerve can become damaged from injury, disease, and exposure to environmental factors, as well as behaviors like poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption, and smoking. Optic nerve damage may not be reversed in some patients. Treatments for the condition usually involve treating the underlying cause of the condition, steroids, and anti-inflammatory medications.

Optic Atrophy

Optic atrophy is an eye condition that affects the optic nerve that causes the nerve to become inflamed and waste away. It is a symptom of an underlying condition, like glaucoma, tumor, or malformation of the optic nerve. These underlying health conditions must be treated to slow the progressive symptoms of the condition. Symptoms of optic nerve atrophy include blurred vision, changes in peripheral vision, inability to see fine details, and color vision issues. There is no cure or treatment for optic atrophy, but if the underlying cause is uncovered and treated, symptoms can slow down and vision may improve.

Optic Neuritis

Optic neuritis is the inflammation of the optic nerve, the main nerve responsible for vision. Patients with optic neuritis experience symptoms like blurred vision and blind spots developing in the eye. Some patients also experience dimmed color vision, eye pain, and impaired or distorted vision. The condition is common in patients with multiple sclerosis, a disease which body’s own immune system attacks and destroys protective myelin sheath nerve coverings. Optic neuritis can also develop because of viral infections, bacterial infections, sinus inflammation, vitamin deficiency, and exposure to toxins. Treatment for optic neuritis is steroid therapy, which does not yield permanent results.

Optic Neuropathy

Optic neuropathy is nerve damage to the optic nerve caused by diseases of the central nervous system, multiple sclerosis, or stroke. Symptoms of the condition include dimmed vision, inability to see small or fine details, and seeing colors as faded. The pupil, over time, also loses the ability to react to light. Optic neuropathy cannot be cured or reversed, and patients are left with damaged and reduced vision.

Macular Hole

A macular hole that develops in the macula, which is in the center of the retina. The macular gives the eye the ability to focus on fine or small details, like words on a page when reading. Macular holes cause blurred and impaired central vision. These holes occur when the vitreous fluid in the eye shrinks and pulls away from the macula. This happens as a natural part of aging. Macular holes are repaired with surgery, called a vitrectomy to repair the hole. After the surgery, patients must lie face down for several weeks while their eye heals. Risks of the procedure include retinal detachment and the development of cataracts, and some macular hole patients run the risk of developing future macular holes.

Stem Cell Therapy for Eye Disease

Innovations Stem Cell Center treats optic nerve damage/optic atrophy/optic neuritis/optic neuropathy/macular hole with SVF stem cell therapy through IV deployment. Once the stem cells have been deployed, they immediately go to work to heal damaged tissue. The stem cells repair damaged eye tissues just like they do in other areas of the body damaged by disease or injury- by regenerating cells to heal tissue and using growth factors that promote healing.

Patients that have been treated with stem cell therapy for optic nerve damage/optic atrophy/optic neuritis/optic neuropathy/macular hole at Innovations Stem Cell Center have seen some positive results of their treatment.

Q: Dry Eyes/Keratoconjunctivitis sicca

A: Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, also known as dry eye, is caused by a lack of tears. Tears are a protective fluid of the eye made up of water, oils, and mucus. Tears serve to protect and lubricate your eye, and keep the surface of your eyes clear. Common causes of keratoconjunctivitis sicca include the use of certain medications, autoimmune diseases, aging, and damage to the tear glands. Lack of tears can leave eyes prone to infections, damage, and even a decreased quality of life as everyday activities become difficult. Treatments for dry eyes include eye drops and immunosuppressive medications for patients who experience the condition because of autoimmune diseases.

Innovations Stem Cell Center treats dry eyes with SVF stem cell therapy through IV deployment. Once the stem cells have been deployed, they immediately go to work to heal damaged tissue. The stem cells repair damaged eye tissues just like they do in other areas of the body damaged by disease or injury- by regenerating cells to heal tissue and using growth factors that promote healing.

Patients that have been treated with stem cell therapy for dry eyes at Innovations Stem Cell Center have seen some positive results of their treatment.

Q: Retinal Degeneration/Retinitis Pigmentosa/Plaquenil Toxicity

A: Retinal degeneration – Retinal degeneration is the deterioration of the retina of the eye, and is caused by the progressive death of the cells of the retina. There are many causes of retinal degeneration, including diabetic retinopathy, disease, and blood vessel occlusion. Symptoms of the condition include impaired vision, both during the day and night, retinal detachment, distorted vision, and loss of peripheral vision. Many patients experience total vision loss.

Retinitis pigmentosa – Retinitis pigmentosa is a rare genetic disease of the eye that causes damage to the retina. It causes extreme vision impairment and loss of vision. The symptoms of the disorder begin in childhood and progress with age. There is no current conventional treatment for retinitis pigmentosa.

Plaquenil toxicity – Plaquenil toxicity occurs as a result of exposure to Plaquenil, a drug used to treat the autoimmune disorders, rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematous. Plaquenil can produce pigment changes in the macula of the retina. The macula is the part of the eye that allows center vision. Patients with Plaquenil toxicity experience loss of center vision and diminished ability to see colors. Total vision loss can occur if exposure to the drug continues. Side effects of the condition are reversible, but some patients may not make a full recovery.

Innovations Stem Cell Center treats patients with retinal degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, and Plaquenil toxicity with SVF stem cell therapy through IV deployment. Once the stem cells have been deployed, they immediately go to work to heal damaged tissue. The stem cells repair damaged eye tissues just like they do in other areas of the body damaged by disease or injury- by regenerating cells to heal tissue and using growth factors that promote healing.

Q: Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency

A: Limbal stem cell deficiency is a disease of the cornea in which the limbal stem cells found in the corneal tissue do not repopulate. These cells are critical to the cornea, and when they are lost, the cornea cannot repair itself. This leads to damage of the cornea, scarring, redness, and chronic eye inflammation. Some patients with limbal stem cell deficiency also experience vision loss, eye pain, and discomfort in light. There is no cure for the disease, and treatment for the condition target managing painful symptoms.

Innovations Stem Cell Center treats limbal stem cell deficiency with SVF stem cell therapy through IV deployment. Once the stem cells have been deployed, they immediately go to work to heal damaged tissue. The stem cells repair damaged eye tissues just like they do in other areas of the body damaged by disease or injury- by regenerating cells to heal tissue and using growth factors that promote healing.

Patients that have been treated with stem cell therapy for limbal stem cell deficiency at Innovations Stem Cell Center have seen some positive results of their treatment.

See our blogs regarding Stem Cell Treatment for Eye Conditions

Understanding Adipose-Derived Stem Cells

Cost of Stem Cell Treatments

The cost of the initial treatment ranges from $5,000 to $10,000. The range in cost is dependent on the complexity of delivering the cells back to you. For example, spine conditions require multiple physicians to deliver the cells back to your body and this requires an increase in cost as multiple doctors are involved in the procedure. For many people the initial treatment is all that is needed; however, for some conditions, subsequent treatments may be required and these are done at a reduced fee. Innovations Medical performs Stem Cell procedures for Eye Disease at both our Dallas and Fort Worth practice locations.