Foundation Fighting Blindness

12/24/2025

Happy Holidays from the Foundation Fighting Blindness! ✨

Our offices will be closed December 25–January 2, and as we wrap up 2025, we’re filled with gratitude for our incredible community. Your support has driven remarkable progress in advancing treatments and cures for people with blinding diseases.

From all of us at the Foundation, thank you for the hope, the momentum, and the unwavering support you bring to our mission. Wishing you a joyful and meaningful holiday season! 💙

Image Description: Dark blue background with a red house and trees covered in snow along the bottom. Foundation Fighting Blindness logo in top left corner with text below that reads "Happy Holidays from the Foundation Fighting Blindness! Our offices will be closed from December 25, 2025 through January 2, 2026."

12/22/2025

Many companies offer matching gift programs that match what you give—sometimes even 2:1! That means your $50 gift could instantly become $100 (or more!) at no extra cost to you.

Matched gifts power the research that drives new treatments and cures for blinding diseases. It’s one of the simplest ways to amplify your impact and support the community you care about.

👉 Check if your gift can be matched: www.FightingBlindness.org/employer-matching



Video Description: Dark blue background with large white text reads: “Does your employer match charitable donations? Find out in seconds with Double the Donation.” A white outline of a donation box with a heart sits in the bottom right corner with coins dropping into the box.

12/22/2025

We’re thrilled to share an excerpt from "Never Seen the Stars" by Kate Korsh as part of our storytelling series, The Reality of an Invisible Disability!

Kate, who also lives with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), gives readers an honest, heartfelt look at Hattie's journey—finding strength in herself, leaning on loved ones, and navigating life with RP. Thank you, Kate, for sharing this story with our community! 💛

Read the excerpt on our website at: www.FightingBlindness.org/stories/excerpt-from-never-seen-the-stars-1090

And if you have a story you want to share about living with an invisible disability, your story matters—and we invite you to share it as part of The Reality of an Invisible Disability series.

Read an excerpt from the novel, Never Seen the Stars, where Hattie reflects on living with retinitis pigmentosa, navigating family dynamics, and finding hope in her choices.

12/19/2025

In our latest episode of the Eye on the Cure podcast, Lindsey Rambo joins host Ben Shaberman to share her journey with Leber congenital amaurosis 5 (LCA5). Lindsey talks about participating in Opus Genetics’ LCA5 gene therapy clinical trial and experiencing meaningful vision improvements—progress that’s changing what’s possible in her everyday life and for her family.

Her story is a powerful reminder of how research is advancing treatments and making a real difference for people with blinding diseases!

Listen now and share this episode to help amplify stories of progress and impact: www.FightingBlindness.org/podcasts/eye-on-the-cure-podcast-episode-97-lindsey-rambo-925

Image Description: Dark blue background with Foundation Fighting Blindness logo in the top left and Eye on the Cure Podcast logo in the top right. Teal half circle at the top center with "Ep. 97" inside. Below, text reads, "Listen to the latest podcast episode out now. December 19, 2025." To the left is Ben Shaberman with "Ben Shaberman, Host" beneath. To the right is Lindsey’s headshot with "Lindsey Rambo, Guest" below.

12/19/2025

Spotlight on AMD/Geographic Atrophy 👁️‍🗨️

Understanding GA is the first step — and new research is helping us see the full picture of this complex disease.

There are currently two FDA-approved therapies that can slow the growth of GA lesions: SYFOVRE™ and IZERVAY™. Both are delivered by injection from a retinal specialist and work by targeting an overactive immune response in the eye.

A recently published NIH-funded study reinforces the complex nature of GA and why we need multi-pathway approaches. This new research found distinct pathways driving subtypes of AMD, which helps explain why complement-only treatments provide modest benefit for some individuals.

That’s why the Foundation continues to fund innovative GA research across diverse pathways. One example is Dr. Sylvain Chemtob, whose Foundation-supported work is developing a new IL-1 receptor–targeting therapy aimed at safely reducing inflammation in GA.

Together, these findings and innovations highlight real momentum in advancing treatments and cures for GA.

Learn more about these treatments on our website at: www.FightingBlindness.org/diseases/geographic-atrophy

Image Description: Dark blue background with the Foundation Fighting Blindness and “Spotlight on AMD/Geographic Atrophy” logos in the top left corner. Text below reads, "DID YOU KNOW? Two FDA-approved treatments are now available to slow the growth of lesions."

12/18/2025

Be a changemaker in vision science – help redefine what’s possible for people living with vision loss.

Our partner BlueRock Therapeutics is now enrolling for CLARICO, a Phase 1/2a clinical trial evaluating OpCT-001, an investigational iPSC-derived photoreceptor therapy for adults with primary photoreceptor diseases including retinitis pigmentosa, Usher syndrome and cone-rod dystrophy.

All trial sites are located in the United States. All eligible and enrolled participants will receive the study drug, OpCT-001.

Learn more about CLARICO here:

The CLARICO study is an investigation of a cell therapy that has been designed to replace the damaged cells in the retina that cause primary photoreceptor diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa and cone rod dystrophies.

12/18/2025

Spotlight on AMD/Geographic Atrophy 👁️‍🗨️

Geographic atrophy (GA) is an advanced form of dry AMD that develops when certain types of drusen—fat and protein deposits under the macula—lead to the loss of retinal cells. As these cells break down, people with GA develop growing blind spots in their central vision that can make detailed tasks harder over time.

GA progresses differently for everyone, but understanding how it affects central vision is an important first step in navigating the condition.

Learn more about GA on our website at: www.FightingBlindness.org/diseases/geographic-atrophy

Image Description: Dark blue background with the Foundation Fighting Blindness and “Spotlight on AMD/Geographic Atrophy” logos in the top left corner. Text below reads, "Geographic Atrophy, an advanced form of dry AMD, leads to progressive loss of retinal cells in the macular causing irreversible central vision loss." Below are cone cells in blue and green with some fading away or missing.

12/17/2025

Spotlight on AMD/Geographic Atrophy 👁️‍🗨️

What does the world look like for someone with AMD/GA? This simulation offers a glimpse into how some people may experience vision changes — including wavy lines, blurriness or central blind spots, duller colors, and challenges seeing in low light.

Every person’s experience with AMD is different, but this tool helps illustrate just a few of the ways it could affect daily life. https://bit.ly/4oWsvx9

Video Description: Dark blue background with the Foundation Fighting Blindness and “Spotlight on AMD/Geographic Atrophy” logos at the bottom while text above reads, "Here's how age-related macular degeneration (AMD) may look for some." A man sitting cross-legged on a tree stump doing yoga appears and every time the screen blinks, AMD symptoms progress from mild to moderate to severe to profound. Dark blue background appears again with the Foundation logo and text, "To learn more about AMD, visit: www.FightingBlindness.org."

12/16/2025

Spotlight on AMD/Geographic Atrophy 👁️‍🗨️

Did you know there are three stages of AMD, and symptoms can vary by stage? Early stage usually has no noticeable symptoms, while intermediate stage may bring mild blurriness or trouble seeing in low light. In advanced AMD, vision changes become more pronounced—straight lines may appear wavy, central vision may blur or develop blind spots, colors can seem duller, and low-light vision becomes more difficult.

AMD can progress as either dry or wet. Dry AMD is the most common form and can lead to geographic atrophy (GA), while wet AMD involves the growth of abnormal blood vessels that can cause more sudden changes in vision.

Age and smoking are the greatest risk factors, but diet, sun exposure, and genetics also play a role.

Learn more about what to expect with AMD on our website at: https://bit.ly/4oWsvx9

Image Description: [Slide one] Dark blue background with the Foundation Fighting Blindness and “Spotlight on AMD/Geographic Atrophy” logos in the top. Text below reads, "What To Expect With Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)" and an arrow pointing to the right. [Slide two] Dark blue background with the Foundation Fighting Blindness and “Spotlight on AMD/Geographic Atrophy” logos in the top. Text below reads, "Advanced Stage Symptoms:" and corresponding images simulating the following symptoms, "Blurring of central vision, Straight lines appearing distorted or wavy, Blind spots forming withing the central field of vision." [Slide three] Dark blue background with the Foundation Fighting Blindness and “Spotlight on AMD/Geographic Atrophy” logos in the top. Text below reads, "Risk Factors:" with green icons representing the factors, "Aging, Smoking, Genetics, Unhealthy Diet, Unprotected Sunlight Exposure."

12/15/2025

This week, we're shining a Spotlight on Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)/Geographic Atrophy! 👁️‍🗨️

Meet Toni, a former clinician and lifelong learner who refuses to let AMD define her path. More than 20 years after her diagnosis, she continues adapting to dry and wet AMD, as well as geographic atrophy, with resilience and optimism.

Her story reminds us that while AMD can reshape daily life, it doesn’t diminish one’s ability to keep growing and moving forward. With the help of low vision tools, assistive technology, and the resilience she once taught her own patients, Toni continues to embrace the vision she has and help others do the same.

Read Toni's Beacon Story on our website at: https://bit.ly/3VwwrIS

Image Description: Dark blue background with the Foundation Fighting Blindness and “Spotlight on AMD/Geographic Atrophy” logos in the top left corner. Below is Toni in front of a set dinner table, with a teal and green gradient border with text on the left, "Toni Mehler." Text below that reads, "Beacon Story: Embracing and Adapting to AMD."

In her almost eighth decade of life, Toni Mehler has learned to adapt to the unknown, and she draws from those experiences to embrace her diagnosis of AMD.

12/12/2025

Our partner Belite Bio has shared encouraging topline results from its pivotal Phase 3 DRAGON trial of tinlarebant in adolescents with Stargardt disease — an important step in advancing a potential treatment. The study found a 36% reduction in lesion growth vs. placebo, marked the first therapeutic candidate to show efficacy in a global Phase 3 trial for Stargardt disease, and reported a favorable safety and tolerability profile over 24 months. We’re grateful to the patients, families, caregivers, and investigators whose commitment made this progress possible!

You can read the full announcement in Belite Bio’s press release on their website at: https://bit.ly/48E8iWG

Image Description: Dark blue background with an eye at the top right and the Belite Bio logo on the left. Below is the text, "Stargardt Update. Belite Bio announces positive top-line results from the pivotal global, phase 3 DRAGON trial of tinlarebant in adolescents with Stargardt disease. More information in the press release."

12/11/2025

☕ Stargardt Coffee Conversations is back! Our quarterly video series spotlighting real stories from those with Stargardt disease.

In this episode, host Adam Chodak, evening anchor at WROC News 8 who also lives with Stargardt, chats with Matt Philipenko, who works at Microsoft and is the founder of A11y Ranger. Matt is passionate about accessibility and sharing tools that make life easier for people with vision loss.

Together, they have an open and honest conversation about the challenges and triumphs of living with Stargardt disease. Watch the full conversation at: https://bit.ly/3Mwknpq

This special Stargardt Coffee Conversation episode is sponsored by Alkeus Pharmaceuticals.

Video Description: Matt speaking about his experience surrendering his drivers license, with Adam chiming in. The video concludes with the Foundation Fighting Blindness and Alkeus Pharmaceuticals logos.