Eye transplants to cure blindness have taken a step closer after scientists managed to 'grow' a retina in the laboratory for the first time. Researchers were amazed when stem cells in a test tube spontaneously organized themselves into a complex structure that resembles the developing embryonic eye. The surprising development could lead eventually to whole retinas being cultured and then transplanted, restoring sight in the blind and visually impaired. The researchers first cultivated embryonic stem cells in a test tube and then added proteins to trigger them into developing. They hoped that they would form a recognizable organ but were still stunned when over 10 days they clustered together and began to grow the "optical cup" of a retina.

Tests showed that the cells were functioning normally and were capable of communicating with each other. The research was done on mouse eyes. They hope that within 10 years to be able to start clinical trials on retina implants. It is a landmark not just for the retina but for regenerative medicine as a whole.