Advances in the treatment of blinding retinal diseases

Blinding retinal diseases, including inherited and degenerative conditions, rank globally among the primary causes of permanent vision loss. While certain degenerative retinal diseases like age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy can be partially managed through intravitreal anti-VEGF injections or the use of complement inhibitors, most patients still lack effective treatment options. Recently, several promising therapeutic avenues have surfaced, such as stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium cell transplantation, gene therapy, and the implantation of retinal prostheses. This review summarizes recent clinical trials and advances in gene therapy for inherited retinal diseases, outlines techniques for retinal pigment epithelium cell transplantation, and discusses methods to improve graft survival. It also examines strategies for enhancing the resolution of retinal prostheses and explores their future clinical potential, providing new perspectives on the management of degenerative retinal conditions.