Invited Session I: Vision restoration: Restoring vision at the fovea.

Abstract

Currently little can be done to restore high qualityvisionto patients with retinal degeneration. Tasks like recognizing faces require high acuityvisionwhich is mediated by the fovea, a specialized retinal structure unique to humans and non-human primates. Signals from the fovea dominate visual cortex and optimizingvisionrestoration therapies at this retinal location has the potential to yield higher quality outcomes. Adaptive Optics Scanning Light Ophthalmoscopy provides an innovative preclinical development platform for evaluating therapies in non-human primates, allowing photoreceptor ablation and cellular scale functional recording of restored responses from foveal retinal ganglion cells in the living eye. Recent work has also enabled observation of immune cell activity in primate retina at the cellular scale. I will describe experiments using in vivo calcium imaging to demonstrate optogenetic restoration of RGC activity in primate fovea and efforts to accelerate progress toward more naturalistic restoredvision, using stem cell-derived photoreceptor replacement therapy. Key to the success of all of vision restoration therapies is understanding the impact of periods of long term vision loss on the retina and I will share results examining changes in foveal RGCs in the weeks and months following deafferentation. Finally I will consider the unique perceptual challenges which may arise when restoring light sensitivity to foveal tissue.