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USA, Age 9

Diagnosis

Tyler was diagnosed with Optic Nerve Hypoplasia three months after his birth when his parents noticed he was not tracking objects.

Condition Prior to Treatment

Tyler had no depth perception. He had very little vision in his left eye, and only light perception in his right eye. His visual acuity was about 20/600 to 20/1200. Tyler traveled with a cane when he was in unfamiliar places.

Treatment Received in China

While in China, Tyler received seven adult stem cell transplants, five via IV and two via spinal.

Condition Following Treatment

While Tyler was in China, he noticed that he began to see more details and textures. He said that he could see more specks on the bathroom counter. Before he may have only been able to see two or three, while in China he noticed he could see twenty or thirty specs. Tyler is better able to navigate new spaces independently.

Tyler's Ophthalmologist tested his eyes before and after he went to China. After returning from China, his Ophthalmologist noted that his optic nerve looked healthier. The left optic nerve had grown by about forty percent, and the right optic nerve had grown by about fifteen percent. The optic photos showed that he had increased blood flow and the color was much pinker rather than gray.