[From optic nerve regeneration to visual function recovery: challenges and prospects]

Axon regeneration and visual function recovery after optic nerve injury remain a major challenge in ophthalmology. Current research on optic nerve regeneration has evolved from merely promoting axon regeneration to a new stage focused on long-distance regrowth, targeted reinnervation, and function restoration. Centering on these core goals, this article discusses strategies for achieving accurate circuit repair by reactivating developmental guidance mechanisms, modulating neural activity, and utilizing neurotrophic factors. It also explores the opportunities brought by high-throughput multi-omics technologies in deciphering regulatory networks of regeneration. In response to key challenges in translating research findings into clinical applications, this article emphasizes the urgent need to optimize gene and drug delivery systems, establish long-acting sustained-release approaches, and develop clinically relevant large-animal models. The aim is to outline a critical pathway toward substantial visual functional recovery in future clinical practice.