In a Nutshell:
- Lynley Hood, an 80-year-old author from New Zealand, accidentally regained her vision, lost to glaucoma 12 years ago, during a placebo treatment for her chronic back pain.
- Participating in a University of Otago study, Lynley was part of the placebo group receiving superficial scalp electrical stimulation. Remarkably, after four weeks, her vision restored almost to full capacity, a result that left her ophthalmologist stunned.
- Intrigued by this unforeseen recovery, the study team, led by Dr. Divya Adhia, plans to conduct further research into how scalp electrical stimulation might aid in restoring eyesight, potentially leading to a revolutionary breakthrough in treating blindness.
In a surprising twist of medical events, a placebo treatment designed to alleviate chronic back pain inadvertently restored the vision of an 80-year-old blind woman.
Lynley Hood, from Dunedin, New Zealand, an award-winning writer, had lost her eyesight over a decade ago to a rare form of glaucoma and found the world in color once again thanks to a back pain treatment study at the University of Otago.
Hood’s journey into darkness started 12 years ago when her left eye suddenly became blurry while reading a book.
Assuming it was due to fatigue, she retired for the night, only to wake up to a world that hadn’t regained its clarity.
She was soon diagnosed with a rare form of glaucoma and informed by her doctors that there would likely be no improvement in her condition.
Hood eventually became legally blind, which put a pause on her passion for reading and writing.
But life had an unexpected plot twist in store for Hood.
A painful fall in 2020 fractured her pelvis, leading to severe back pain, which strangely, became the pathway to her unexpected vision recovery.
This incident led her to participate in a chronic pain treatment research project conducted by the University of Otago.
The project, split into two groups, involved participants undergoing electrical stimulation sessions while wearing specially wired helmets.
One group received electrical stimulation directly to the brain, while the placebo group, including Hood, received superficial scalp-level stimulation.
Unbeknownst to her, Hood was in the placebo group.
After just four weeks of electrical stimulation, Hood discovered her vision had returned to nearly 100%.
The dramatic improvement left even her ophthalmologist astounded, who couldn’t resist but call it a “miracle.”
“Miracle is not a word we use very often in science, but it was — an accidental miracle,” project co-leader Dr. Divya Adhia told the Otago Daily Times.
“It wasn’t the intended outcome, but to see that my research has actually made an impact on people is incredible.”
Having lived with severely impaired vision for over a decade, Hood is now readjusting to a life that’s in clear sight.
With her vision restored, she is eager to return to her love for writing.
“At first, I thought I was imagining it,” Hood said, expressing disbelief at the return of her sight.
She detailed how the electrical currents, traced by advanced equipment, stimulated her retina, sparking an array of signals down her optic nerve and restoring her vision.
The intriguing question of how the electrical stimulation managed to bring Hood’s eyesight back remains unsolved, but Dr. Adhia and her team are eager to find out.
They’re now planning another study to understand this unexpected visual resurgence better, potentially opening a new window of hope for others living with blindness.
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Brenda
June 19, 2022 at 6:42 am
So why is she being threatened with 10 years of jail time? Kids will be kids. Had her child taken her balloons to school, would mom be arrested? If her child took her boy toy “teething ring” to show & tell, would she be arrested? What if said child helped pack his lunch box with a “napkin”.
Don N
June 19, 2022 at 9:40 am
If she had left a loaded gun out, would she be arrested? kids will be kids logic. The child is not the guilty one.
Chuck
July 2, 2022 at 7:15 pm
Mom is irresponsible. She should have told her child that the gummies were for adults only. Jail time, let the judge decide. I would support it. I know I won’t be popular in this view. But somebody has to be the grown up.
Harte
July 3, 2022 at 1:05 pm
Mother should be interviewed extensively by Ct. appointed Drs. Why was mom using THC? Why was mom so careless with her placement of gummies?
No family or child needs to be separated unless there is a valid criminal intent or act. The mom and kids will live with this experience for a lo g time. Why not try to correct and help rather than punish and create furtber damage? Prison? Not for this!!!! Counselling, guidance, classes and home, med checkups, YES! Unless mom left gummies accessible intentionally, this is a medical issue, not a criminal ct. drama.
Lori
July 30, 2022 at 8:58 pm
In less than 20 minutes, you have kindergartners unconscious, short of breath, lethargic, the school evacuated, the prosecutor contacted, sheriff’s office responding, kids taken to the emergency room,” Swanson, who was visibly upset, said. “How did we get here?”
My Answer: How you got here was by electing democrats. Clean up your state by VOTING OUT ALL RINO’s & DEMOCRATS in 2022 & 2024.
emile buisson
July 31, 2022 at 10:33 am
grow the hell up, you got to be high all the time now your kids are high, she needs bull whipping, and kid taken away, she an accident waiting to happen.