Woman claims liposuction helped restore her eyesight
WCBS New York has an amazing report on 31-year-old Julia Matsumoto. She claims that a treatment using stem cells harvested through liposuction has helped restore her failing eyesight. It’s a procedure that WCBS describes as “experimental and controversial.”
Four years ago, Ms. Matsumoto was diagnosed with optic neuritis, which the Mayo Clinic describes as, “an inflammation of the optic nerve.” They note that the cause of condition is unknown, and that while, “most people regain close to normal vision within 12 months after an optic neuritis episode,” vision loss is, “permanent in some cases.” For Ms. Matsumoto, she described her field of vision as, “the size of a pin drop and eventually, complete darkness.”
She was placed on Prednisone, and while it helped restore her eyesight, it also made her gain weight quite rapidly. She told WCBS, “I gained over 100 pounds within three months.” Looking for an alternative that wouldn’t do that much damage to her body, she turned to a procedure that would not only help lose her excess weight, but also provide a possible solution to her vision loss – liposuction.
California-based Dr. Mark Berman started off with liposuction of Ms. Matsumoto’s stomach. Stem cells were then removed from the fat and blood and infused back into her body through an IV. She says, four days later she could see again. Ms. Matsumoto will be repeating this treatment every two months. WCBS points out this procedure has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and there is debate as to whether it was truly the stem cells acquired through liposuction or the Prednisone that helped.
More info: WCBS
