CURRENT STATUS
Luxturna — first FDA-approved gene therapy for inherited blindness (RPE65). Optogenetics restoring light sensitivity in blind patients. AI-powered retinal screening detecting disease from photos. CRISPR trials for Leber congenital amaurosis type 10.
KEY BREAKTHROUGHS
Luxturna (voretigene neparvovec) — gene therapy restoring vision in RPE65 blindness, approved 2017
Editas EDIT-101 — first in vivo CRISPR therapy for Leber congenital amaurosis type 10
GenSight optogenetics — partially restoring vision in blind RP patients using channelrhodopsin
Google DeepMind AI detecting 50+ eye diseases from OCT scans with expert-level accuracy
AI-COMPRESSED PIPELINE
AI TOOLS ACCELERATING CURES
KEY ORGANIZATIONS
TIMELINE ESTIMATE
Inherited retinal blindness: many forms treatable now. AMD gene therapy: 3–5 years. Full vision restoration (brain interfaces): 8–12 years.