A noninvasive electric stimulation method can improve vision in patients with optic nerve damage

It is generally accepted that damage to the optic nerve causes irreversible blindness or partial blindness. However this may not be the case for patients of a new stimulation technique. Researches have published an article in a journal called Brain Stimulation describing how a 10 day treatment of short 20-40 minute sessions per day can improve vision of patients with damaged optic nerves due to some brain lesion. The method is a repetitive, transorbital alternating current stimulation(rtACS), which is a generated weak current(less than 500 micro amperes) of a square or sinus waveform. The treatment is fully external, and a very noninvasive procedure. The results showed a marked decrease of the visual field loss of the treatment at 41% reduction. This procedure has the potential to reverse partial blindness in patients who have damaged their optic nerves. It is interesting that simple external electrical stimulation can positively affect a person with optic nerve damage. This implies the possibility of other brain stimulation techniques to help treat other sorts of brain and nerve damage. Normally it is accepted that these sorts of brain lesions are irreversible and untreatable, but curing these problems may be within reach now.

Original Article:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1935861X11001094#sec1.3
Science Daily Posting:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111031115231.htm