Glaucoma causes the loss of retinal ganglion cells, the specialized nerve cells that connect the eye to the brain and transmit visual information. Another eye disease that leads to the death of retinal ganglion cells is Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON), an inherited form of vision loss. LHON is caused by gene mutations that disrupt the function of mitochondria, the cell’s energy factories.

IOB researchers are studying the structure, function and molecular composition of human ganglion cells. They are developing multiple complementary treatments to help these cells survive longer, with the goal of delaying or preventing vision loss.