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Thoughts on gene therapy for blindness (self.Blind)
submitted by balbad
My girlfriend and I were having a discussion regarding recent advancement in gene therapy for specific types of blindness. This came after I read a few articles regarding some scientific breakthroughs using CRISPR and other methods, which I shared with her.
She tells me that such a treatment is dangerous, as it could be used as a tool of oppression in the future. She sites the history of eugenics in the US and other human rights violations.
She also says that with the advancement of a cure, it would cause there to be less accommodations for people who are blind. She says that blind people don’t need to be “fixed”, they need to be accommodated. Another point was that the therapy would only be available for a select number of people.
While I agree that there should be more accommodations for the visually impaired,
I don’t think that should influence the advancement of a possible cure for different types of blindness. But then again, I am not blind. So I wanted to ask people who are blind, do you believe a cure would threaten accommodations available to blind people? Should we not go forward with a cure if it risks creating more disadvantages? Anything else you would like to add feel welcome.
tldr: Would the advancement of a possible “cure” for types of blindness create more disadvantages for people who are blind?
She tells me that such a treatment is dangerous, as it could be used as a tool of oppression in the future. She sites the history of eugenics in the US and other human rights violations.
She also says that with the advancement of a cure, it would cause there to be less accommodations for people who are blind. She says that blind people don’t need to be “fixed”, they need to be accommodated. Another point was that the therapy would only be available for a select number of people.
While I agree that there should be more accommodations for the visually impaired,
I don’t think that should influence the advancement of a possible cure for different types of blindness. But then again, I am not blind. So I wanted to ask people who are blind, do you believe a cure would threaten accommodations available to blind people? Should we not go forward with a cure if it risks creating more disadvantages? Anything else you would like to add feel welcome.
tldr: Would the advancement of a possible “cure” for types of blindness create more disadvantages for people who are blind?
nowwerecooking 5 points 2y ago
If there was a cure I would take it in a heartbeat. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. There are hundreds of eye conditions out there so not every single one can and will be cured. Can you explain how a cure for a disease such as cancer causes oppression? It’s basically the same thing as a cure for blindness. Both are cures trying to give people a better life lol
damaged_reflection 1 points 2y ago
If there was a cure I would take it in a heartbeat. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.
I get the impression that you weren’t born blind and lost your vision later in life.
If you were born blind you would have to learn to re-adapt and do things a different way to what you’ve been doing your whole life, so it wouldn’t give you a better life
I get the impression that you weren’t born blind and lost your vision later in life.
If you were born blind you would have to learn to re-adapt and do things a different way to what you’ve been doing your whole life, so it wouldn’t give you a better life
nowwerecooking 1 points 2y ago
What?
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nowwerecooking 1 points 2y ago
I actually was born visually impaired! What kind of things would I have to relearn? I really wouldn’t have to relearn anything in my opinion. In fact, being visually impaired makes me very adaptable. If there was a cure I would be able to have A LOT more independence including having the ability to drive, I wouldn’t be discriminated against (when it comes to getting a job, etc), making friends and finding hobbies would be easier, etc. I could go on and on. Also, I know my mental health would be better. It would just be a lot easier and I think I’d be able to enjoy life more. Are you blind/visually impaired?
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LeGrosso 4 points 2y ago
Every person deserves the best medical treatment, if there is a cure for something we should use it, if there is no cure we have to assure that those with any kind of impairment have the same freedom and opportunities has everyone else. CRISPR is not the solution for everything but science is always evolving maybe some day there will be a cure for some kinds of blindness and it should be available for everyone that needs it
Amonwilde 2 points 2y ago
Is she a humanist or activist? That's the line you sometimes get in disability studies. I see where they're coming from, but as a blind person who would love a cure I can't support that view. If you wouldn't support blinding more people to make accessibility more likely, then you shouldn't stand in the way of a cure that could make accessibility less likely. The part about eugenics shows a basic cofusion, since gene therapies aren't fixes to embryyos, and there's no potential for eugenics here, i.e. the new genes are delivered directly to the mature eye using a virus. Unless she's just against biology as a subject because it could be misued, which seems like a pretty obvious overreach.
viciousSnowFlake 2 points 2y ago
Doesn't make sense to me...
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ukifrit 1 points 2y ago
despite finding it interesting, it will be very convenient for companies and governments not to provide acomodations because there is a cure for disabilities. We must think about that, even it seems paranoid. We all have to fight a lot for the bare minimum right now, imagine if there was some sort of functional, and I guess really expensive, treatment for blindness.
siriuslylupin6 2 points 2y ago
Yeah, I agree that makes sense.
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balbad [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Can’t begin to understand, but this is why I advocate for a cure. I don’t really care what other issues stem from it as long as people like you can see again. I’m not sure why she feels the way she does
damaged_reflection 1 points 2y ago
I’m not sure why she feels the way she does
Use your head and think. I don’t know about OP’s gf but if you’re born blind you probably wouldn’t want your vision to be cured because you’re not actually getting anything back, you can’t miss something you never had. If your vision was cured you would have to relearn to do things a different way to what you’ve been doing your whole life.
Use your head and think. I don’t know about OP’s gf but if you’re born blind you probably wouldn’t want your vision to be cured because you’re not actually getting anything back, you can’t miss something you never had. If your vision was cured you would have to relearn to do things a different way to what you’ve been doing your whole life.
siriuslylupin6 0 points 2y ago
Cure is more of an insult then anything. It’s like blindness is like a disease we should get rid of or a curse.
First off right now really most of these cures are just hopes and not pragmatic we are no where near one. Also playing with genetics is pretty dangerous yes. You are changing a human and anything can go wrong look at covid right now and it’s mutations and people playing with rna and stuff. Most of what is there is hey look we’ve done this oh waiat but it’s too far from really actually happening right now.
It could be seen that way yes as also supression. If you can’t fix the baby abort it why not because you can have a better one who isn’t blind, deaf or disabled. Dangerous thoughts.
First off right now really most of these cures are just hopes and not pragmatic we are no where near one. Also playing with genetics is pretty dangerous yes. You are changing a human and anything can go wrong look at covid right now and it’s mutations and people playing with rna and stuff. Most of what is there is hey look we’ve done this oh waiat but it’s too far from really actually happening right now.
It could be seen that way yes as also supression. If you can’t fix the baby abort it why not because you can have a better one who isn’t blind, deaf or disabled. Dangerous thoughts.
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