Our Message
Vision loss due to retinal dysfunction affects more than 1 in 20 Canadians. The leading causes of blindness are diseases of aging, conditions that cause progressive and irreversible damage. Incidence of these blinding conditions, including diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), are expected to double in the next 20 years as the population ages. Individuals with impaired vision have significant disabilities, reduced quality of life and higher mortality rates compared to their healthy counterparts. Vision loss also exerts a significant economic burden in Canada, annually costing over $33B in direct and indirect health care costs and lost productivity.
Our program at the Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute has an opportunity to act.
We bring together remarkable expertise in basic and clinical vision research, an unparalleled student training program, and the support of generous donors. Together, we are developing a world-leading centre of discovery focused on age-related retinal disease and translational science. We will focus our resources on regenerative medicine and cell-based therapies, with the goal of bringing these technologies to the clinic.
In the past 30 years, the practice of ophthalmology has been revolutionized by new surgical and diagnostic tools and new drug development. As remarkable as these tools are, they primarily rely on early diagnosis and intervention to preserve the eye's function. Serious damage to the cells of the retina remains largely unsolved; once these cells are destroyed, vision loss is irreversible. Regenerative medicine offers potential tools to protect and replace damaged cells and restore sight.
The Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute is uniquely positioned to be a leader in this work. The Institute is home to the largest and most comprehensive ophthalmology care centre and vision research institute in Canada. Our established team of basic and clinical investigators, with research interests in areas, such as molecular mechanisms of eye development and disease, photoreceptor transplantation, eye movement, retina imaging and vision rehabilitation, are tirelessly conducting cutting-edge research and developing new treatments for blindness and vision loss. With outstanding wet laboratory facilities located in the Krembil Discovery Tower, researchers and trainees are able to conduct and translate research into clinical care.
Building on these assets, the Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute is establishing an integrated multidisciplinary regenerative medicine research centre at UHN. Together, we envision a future without vision loss.
