The optic nerve acts as a signal transmission channel between the retina in the eye and the visual cortex in brain. When the optic nerve is damaged (atrophy), visual signals become unable to travel freely to the brain and the patient gets affected by partial or total loss of vision.

It is important to remember that optic nerve atrophy can arise from various demyelinating, inflammatory, ischemic or traumatic origins, and conditions such as open angle glaucoma, optic neuritis or Leber hereditary optic neuropathy are among the various causes of ONA. In some cases, the optic nerve atrophy is causing a constant and progressive loss of vision.

Few conventional treatment options are available for patients diagnosed with ONA, which mostly focus on helping the patients to cope with their disability. However, none of them are actually treating the loss of optic nerve function. Stem cells have the ability to regenerate nerve cells in the optic nerve, allowing ONA patients to recover some vision.