The Foundation Fighting Blindness was established in 1971 by a passionate group of individuals determined to help find treatments and cures for blinding diseases affecting themselves or loved ones. At the time, very little was known about these devastating diseases that lead to blindness, and there were no clinical trials for potential treatments.
The Foundation’s goal was clear and today, the mission of the Foundation is to drive the research toward preventions, treatments, and cures for people affected by blinding diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, Usher syndrome, Stargardt disease, Leber congenital amaurosis, and more. Together, these conditions affect more than 10 million Americans and millions more worldwide.
With over 50 years of experience and having raised $996 million to date, the Foundation Fighting Blindness is the driving force in the global development of treatments and cures for blinding diseases.
That funding has helped with the identification of over 330 genes linked to retinal disease and the launch of over 50 clinical trials for potential treatments.
On an annual basis, the Foundation Fighting Blindness funds more than 113 research grants. These research projects are conducted by 124 research investigators at 90 institutions, eye hospitals, and universities in the United States. The Foundation funding extends internationally to laboratories in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Switzerland.
The Foundation funds innovative and cutting-edge research in promising areas such as genetics, gene and stem-cell therapies, retinal cell transplantation, and pharmaceutical and nutritional therapies. The Foundation’s funding often provides the critical bridge between discovery research, proof of concept, and corporate investment in clinical trials and commercialization.
The Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) is comprised of the world’s leading retinal experts who provide insight on research and clinical advancements, and review research grant applications.