Stay up to date on the latest Foundation news and research.

Join Today!
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Foundation Fighting Blindness homepage
Search
My Chapter:
View Chapter
Donate
  • Understanding Vision Loss
    • Vision Loss Glossary
    • Retinal Education Videos
    • Achromatopsia
    • Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS)
    • Best Disease
    • Choroideremia
    • CRB1-Associated Diseases
    • Geographic Atrophy (GA)
    • Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA)
    • Macular Degeneration
    • PRPH2-Associated Diseases
    • Retinitis Pigmentosa
    • Refsum Disease
    • Stargardt Disease
    • Thyroid Eye Disease
    • Usher Syndrome
    • X-Linked Retinoschisis (XLRS)
    • Rare Retinal Conditions
  • Living With Vision Loss
    • Information for the Newly Diagnosed
    • Mental Health Resource Center
    • Beacon Stories
    • Low Vision Resources
    • Retinal Doctors Directory
    • Accessibility Guidelines and Virtual Meeting Tips
  • Research
    • Science Strategic Plan
    • My Retina Tracker Program
    • Clinical Trials
    • Clinical Trial Pipeline
    • Grants &
Awards
    • Funded Projects
    • Eye Donor Program
    • Continuing Education
  • Get Involved
    • Join a Chapter
    • Register for VisionWalk
    • Donate Today
    • Host a Fundraiser
    • Legacy Giving
    • Shop to Support
    • Partner with Us
  • News
    • News
    • Foundation News
    • Podcasts
    • Find Foundation Podcasts
    • Music to Our Eyes Videos
    • In Focus Newsletter
    • Legacy Newsletter
    • For Media
    • RSS Feeds
    • Sign Up for Alerts
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • VisionWalk
    • Insights Forum
    • VISIONS Conference
    • Awareness Calendar
  • Genetic Testing Program
  • For Eye Care Professionals
  • About
    • Mission & History
    • Board of Directors
    • Leadership
    • Strategic Council
    • Scientific Advisory Board
    • National Trustees
    • Corporate Partners
    • Financials & Governance
    • Annual Reports
    • Careers
    • Contact
  • Ways to Give
    • Credit Card, ACH & PayPal
    • Legacy Giving
    • Donor Advised Funds
    • Stock Donations
    • Crypto Donations
    • Join a VisionWalk
    • Host a Fundraiser
    • Corporate Partnerships
Change colorTheme
VISIONS 2024

Schedule

  • Email
  • Share on Facebook
  • X Tweet
  • Schedule
  • VISIONS 2024 Homepage
  • Keynote Speakers
  • Sessions
  • Session Speakers
  • Exhibitors
  • Sponsors
  • ReBokeh All Access
  • Accessibility Apps

Explore the latest VISIONS 2024 schedule of events below. Stay tuned for updates as we finalize details. For detailed session descriptions, head over to the sessions page. Please note that all times are listed in Central Time.

Thursday, June 20, 2024

Activity   Location Start Time End Time
Registration Desk Open   7th Floor Registration 10:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m.
Officers Meeting * Officers and executive leadership only. Salon III 11:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.
Board of Directors and National Trustees Lunch * Board of Directors and National Trustees only. Salon II 12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m.
Board of Directors Meeting * Board of Directors and National Trustees only. Salon III 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m.
National Trustee Meeting * Board of Directors and National Trustees only. Salon III 4:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m.
Hotel Tours   7th Floor Registration 4:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m.
Legacy and Visionary Circle Dinner * Invite only event. Northwestern/Ohio State/Purdue 6:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
Chapter Leaders Program –
Connect and Influence: Social Media Mastery for Leaders
* Invite only event. Indiana/Iowa/Michigan 7:30 p.m. 9:30 p.m.

Friday, June 21, 2024

Activity   Location Start Time End Time
Registration Desk Open   7th Floor Registration 7:00 a.m. 8:00 p.m.
Continental Breakfast   7th Floor Foyer 7:30 a.m. 8:45 a.m.
Hotel Tours   7th Floor Registration 8:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.
Kickoff and Welcome   Salon I & II 8:50 a.m. 9:00 a.m.

Opening Session

Technology: The Greatest Equalizer.

Speakers: Mike Hess, John Samuel, Rebecca Rosenberg

Salon I & II 9:00 a.m. 10:15 a.m.
Refreshment Break   7th Floor Foyer 10:15 a.m.  10:30 a.m.
Concurrent Science Sessions

Optogenetics for Sight Restoration

Speakers: Paul Bresge; Eric Daniels, MD; Ethan Rossi, PhD

Lincolnshire 10:30 a.m.  11:35 a.m.
 

Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine

Speakers: Katherine Uyhazi, MD, PhD; Srinivasa Sripathi, PhD

Northwestern/Ohio State    
 

Genetic Therapies: Gene Therapy and Genome Editing

Speakers: Kenji Fujita, MD; Renee Ryals, PhD

Indiana/Iowa    
 

Emerging Technologies: Retinal Organoids, RNA Editing, Retinal Prosthetics, and Artificial Intelligence

Speakers: Robert Bell, PhD; Karl Wahlin, PhD; Hossein Ameri, MD, PhD; Kerry Goetz

Purdue/Wisconsin    
 

Clinical Trials: What Should You Know?

Speakers: Todd Durham, PhD; Kristin Macdonald; Thomas Mendel, MD, PhD

Great America    
Luncheon
Keynote Speaker
Sam Latif
Proctor & Gamble, Accessibility Leader
Salon I & II 12:00 p.m.  2:15 p.m.
  David Brint, Board Chair
Reflecting on His Tenure as Chairman of the Board

 

12:50 p.m. 1:05 p.m.
Exhibit Hall Opens   Salon III 2:00 p.m.  7:30 p.m
Concurrent Science Sessions

Gene Agnostic Therapeutic Approaches

Speakers: Dan Chung, DO, MA; Michael Voevodsky, MBA; Jami Kern, MBA, PhD

Indiana/Iowa 3:10 p.m.  4:15 p.m.
 

Eye Health & Nutrition

Speakers: Paul Bernstein, MD, PhD; Abigail Fahim, MD, PhD

Michigan/Michigan State    
 

Optogenetics for Sight Restoration

Speakers: Paul Bresge; Eric Daniels, MD; Ethan Rossi, PhD

Lincolnshire    
Concurrent Adapting & Thriving Sessions

Navigating Air Travel — A Southwest Airlines Perspective

Speaker: James Ashworth

Purdue 3:10 p.m.  4:15 p.m.
 

My Advocacy. My Choice.

Speakers: Christy Vanek & Janni Lehrer-Stein

Great America    
Science Plenary Session

Inherited Retinal Disease Genetics: Testing and Registries

Speakers: Todd Durham, PhD; Kristy Lee, MS, CGC; Ramiro Maldonado, PhD

Salon I & II 4:20 p.m.  5:25 p.m.
Fireside Chat Foundation board chair, David Brint, sits down with Judge David Tatel to discuss vision loss, his career and latest book. Salon I & II 5:25 p.m.  5:45 p.m.
Welcome Reception   7th Floor Foyer 5:45 p.m.  7:00 p.m.
Casual Mix & Mingle   7th Floor Foyer 7:15 p.m. 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 22, 2024

Activity   Location Start Time End Time
Registration Desk Open   7th Floor Registration 7:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m.
Breakfast   7th Floor Foyer 7:30 a.m. 8:45 a.m.
Exhibit Hall Open   Salon III 8:00 a.m. 1:30 p.m.
Clinical and Research Updates

Usher Syndrome

Speakers: David Corey, PhD; Benjamin Bakall, MD, PhD

Great America 9:00 a.m.  10:25 a.m.
 

Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP)

Speakers: Robert Hyde, MD, PhD; Miranda Scalabrino, PhD

Salon I & II    
 

Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA)

Speaker: Bikash Pattnaik, PhD; Ramiro Maldonado, MD

Purdue    
 

Stargardt Disease & Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Speakers: Thomas Wubben, MD, PhD; Jason Miller, MD, PhD; Esther Biswas-Fiss, PhD

Lincolnshire    
 

Macular Dystrophies

Speakers: Nieraj Jain, MD; Andrew Goldberg, PhD

Wisconsin    
 

Other Retinal Diseases

Speaker: Abigail Fahim, MD, PhD

Michigan/Michigan State    
Concurrent Science Session

Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine

Speakers: Katherine Uyhazi, MD, PhD; Srinivasa Sripathi, PhD

Salon I & II 10:30 a.m. 11:40 a.m.
 

Clinical Trial Readiness

Speakers: Todd Durham, PhD; Kristin Macdonald; Thomas Mendel, MD, PhD

Indiana/Iowa    
Concurrent Adapting & Thriving Session

An In-Depth Process of Applying for a Guide Dog.

Speakers: Leslie Hoskins & Alyssa Otis

Michigan/Michigan State 10:30 a.m. 11:40 a.m.
 

Low Vision Aids and Devices.

Speaker: Francisco Richardson, OD

Great America    
Boxed Lunch   7th Floor Foyer 11:45 a.m. 12:55 p.m.
Karen Petrou, Incoming Board Chair

Vision for the Future

Salon I & II 1:00 p.m. 1:15 p.m.
Mental Health Session

Losing Sight, Gaining Insight: Addressing Mental Health Concerns for Those Losing Vision and Those That Care About Them.

Speakers: Ann Wagner, PhD, LP, ABPP; Eric Ringham; Tim Ogden; Scott Bea, PsyD

Salon I & II 1:15 p.m. 2:30 p.m.
Refreshment Break   7th Floor Foyer 2:30 p.m. 3:00 p.m.
Closing Keynote Speaker Kenyetta McCurdy-Byrd 
REACH Riverside Development Corporation 
Salon I & II 3:00 p.m. 3:45 p.m.
Lulie's Light Award   Salon I & II 3:00 p.m. 3:45 p.m.
Closing Reception   7th Floor Foyer 3:45 p.m. 5:45 p.m.

Curious which sessions to attend? Here are a few recommendations.

TRACKS 

Newly Diagnosed 

Early/Mid-Stage Disease 

Late-Stage Disease 

No gene known 

Concurrent Session I 

Genetic Therapies: Gene Therapy and Genome Editing

Genetic Therapies: Gene Therapy and Genome Editing

Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine or Clinical Trial Readiness or Emerging Technologies 

Optogenetics for Sight Restoration or Stem Cells 

Concurrent Session II 

Eye Health and Nutrition or Gene Agnostic Approaches 

Eye Health and Nutrition or Gene Agnostic Approaches 

Optogenetics for Sight Restoration

Eye Health and Nutrition or Gene Agnostic Approaches 

Plenary 

Inherited Retinal Disease Genetics: Testing and Registries

Inherited Retinal Disease Genetics: Testing and Registries

Inherited Retinal Disease Genetics: Testing and Registries

Inherited Retinal Disease Genetics: Testing and Registries

Concurrent Session III 

Disease-Specific Meeting of Choice 

Disease-Specific Meeting of Choice 

Disease-Specific Meeting of Choice 

Disease-Specific Meeting of Choice 

Concurrent Session IV 

Clinical Trials: What Should You Know?

Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine or Clinical Trials: What Should You Know?

Stem Cells or Clinical Trials: What Should You Know?

Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine or Clinical Trials: What Should You Know? 

 

chevron-thin-up scroll to top
Foundation Fighting Blindness homepage

The urgent mission of the Foundation Fighting Blindness is to drive the research that will provide preventions, treatments and cures for people affected by retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, Usher syndrome and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases. The Foundation is a beacon for those affected by these blinding diseases. Join the fight and help us accelerate our mission.

NORD 2025 Platinum Member Charity Watch Top Rated GuideStar 2020 Platinum Seal of Transparency GuideStar 2020 Platinum Seal of Transparency Better Business Bureau Accredited Charity Charity Navigator WCAG 2.1 compliant, level double A

The Foundation Fighting Blindness meets all 20 Better Business Bureau Charity Standards.

Stay connected by receiving updates and communications from the Foundation!

Sign Up

Get in Touch

  • Facebook.
  • Twitter. X
  • YouTube.
  • Instagram.
  • Linkedin. linkedin
  • Tiktok. tiktok

Foundation Fighting Blindness

Phone: (800) 683-5555

6925 Oakland Mills Road, #701, Columbia, MD 21045.

Donations can be mailed directly to:
Foundation Fighting Blindness, P.O. Box 45740, Baltimore, MD 21297-5740

  • Contact
  • Careers
  • For Media
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

© 2025 Foundation Fighting Blindness, All Rights Reserved. The Foundation Fighting Blindness is a qualified 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and all donations are tax deductible. EIN 23-7135845.