, July 9 -- Scientists have discovered how the human eye develops sharp central vision before birth, a finding that could pave the way for new treatments to restore sight in people with serious eye diseases.

The study, led by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, found that a vitamin A-derived molecule works together with thyroid hormones to shape the retina during fetal development. The findings challenge a long-held theory about how the eye's light-sensing cells develop.

The research was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Researchers used retinal organoids-tiny pieces of retinal tissue grown in the laboratory from fetal cells-to observe how the human retina develops over several months. These...