Emerging Treatments for Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy and Other Genetic Causes of Visual Loss

Abstract

Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) and other genetic causes of visual loss are important clinical entities that can cause profound visual loss. To date, therapeutic options have been quite limited, but insights into the genetic basis of these diseases and advances in the ability to deliver effective and safe gene therapy have opened the door for new therapeutics that may revolutionize the approach to treating these conditions. This article reviews emerging gene therapies of LHON and other inherited ophthalmological diseases, addressing the technical, clinical, and ethical challenges that researchers and clinicians will encounter as new treatments become available for these conditions.