Wayne State University researchers have used gene therapy to restore visual response in blind mice - a breakthrough that eventually could help people suffering from genetic diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa. More research needs to be done and researchers say they don\'t yet know if the apparent visual response is actually good vision. But, the team led by Zhuo-Hua Pan says the findings are an exciting first step. It could lead to the first-ever therapy for restoring vision once photoreceptors in the back of the eye - called rods and cones - have been lost.