Please Support Us in Giving the Gift of Sight

One in 10 Americans over the age of 65 suffers from vision loss. The odds of vision loss increase as one ages, leading to a ratio of one in four over the age of 75. Furthermore, research has shown that vision loss in different racial and ethnic groups is attributable to different causes. In 2014, the cost of lost vision in the U.S. was an astounding $140 billion.

The USC Roski Eye Institute is committed to finding cures for eye disease and blindness through our personalized approach to care, groundbreaking treatments and relentless pursuit of scientific discovery.

Our pioneering breakthroughs have changed our approach to patient care.

Selected USC Roski Eye Institute Breakthroughs Include:

• Invention of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) – An imaging technique, which revolutionized the diagnosis of eye diseases. Since its invention over 20 years ago, this advanced imaging technique has evolved and continues to change the way ophthalmologists diagnose eye disease.
• Inventors of Argus implant – Co-invented by Drs. Mark Humayun, MD and James Weiland, PhD, Argus II, an artificial retinal prosthesis, is the world’s first FDA approved device that gives an unprecedented degree of sight to those suffering from retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic condition that leads to blindness.

At the Frontier of Vision Research and Discovery:

• Identified Origin of Retinoblastomas – the most common malignant tumor of the eye in children. Dr. David Cobrinik’s publication in the prestigious journal Nature in 2014, “Rb suppresses human cone-precursor-derived retinoblastoma tumours”, contributes greatly to vision research and the understanding of retinal development and tumorigenesis.
• Developing Stem Cell Therapy for Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) – This novel treatment for advanced, dry AMD consists of surgically implanting a single layer of stem cell-derived light sensing cells.
• The Human Connectome Project – In an interdisciplinary collaboration, USC Roski Eye Institute is mapping the human brain and visual pathways that lead to blindness. These studies are crucial to ongoing efforts in developing sight-restoration treatments.

Here at the USC Roski Eye Institute, we are inspired by science, compassionate care and excellence. With your help, we will expand the frontiers of knowledge in preserving and protecting the gift of sight, while continuing to provide personalized, innovative care.

Please contact Silviya Aleksiyenko, senior director of development, at (213) 610-8573 or at Silviya.Aleksiyenko@med.usc.edu, to learn more about supporting the USC Roski Eye Institute.

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