Published in Retina

A Brilliant Future for Retina: Gene Editing, GA, and Beyond

John W. Kitchens, MD

John W. Kitchens, MD

SriniVas R Sadda, MD

SriniVas R Sadda, MD

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Join John Kitchens, MD, and SriniVas Sadda, MD, to discuss the advancements in retina care, including artificial intelligence and gene editing.

In this episode of Retina Mentor Moments, John W. Kitchens, MD, sits down with SriniVas R. Sadda, MD, to discuss complement inhibition therapies for geographic atrophy (GA) and the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) and gene editing in retina therapies.
Dr. Sadda is the 2024 to 2025 President of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) and the President of The Macula Society.

Watch the full interview with Dr. Sadda to learn more about:

  • The future of artificial intelligence in retina care
  • The value of ARVO for new ophthalmologists
  • Insights on complement inhibition therapies for GA patients
  • Recent research on gene editing for retinal disease

Artificial intelligence in retina care

Dr. Sadda discussed how ophthalmology has led the way in FDA-approved, AI-based screening algorithms and how physicians can expect to see these algorithms integrated into clinical practice. He also reviewed current challenges that companies are facing in rolling out AI-based algorithms and questions about AI that he often hears at conferences.

Why should early-career ophthalmologists attend ARVO?

Subsequently, the pair discussed what the annual ARVO meeting has to offer new ophthalmologists and recounted personal anecdotes of their experiences attending the conference earlier in their careers. Discover which celebrated ophthalmologist Dr. Kitchens met as a medical student by watching the full interview!

Discussing complement inhibition therapies with GA patients

Dr. Sadda then outlined the decision-making process at his practice for recommending complement inhibition treatments to patients, and highlighted which factors he considers to be the most important determinant for recommending the treatments to his patients.
In addition, he explained the steps that ophthalmologists can take to elucidate the patient’s rate of GA progression and educate patients on the condition as well as the potential treatment benefit of complement inhibition therapies.

What is on the horizon in retina care?

While still early in the stages of development, Dr. Sadda noted that he is excited to see how optogenetics will impact retina care. He explained how optogenetics has allowed researchers to control the activity of cells using a combination of genetic engineering and light that results in making previously light-insensitive cells photosensitive.1
The two also discussed the results of the BRILLIANCE clinical trial (NCT03872479) and how it marks a watershed moment in medicine with the development of the first gene editing-based solution for inherited retinal disease.2
Dr. Sadda added that this year at ARVO, they showed adaptive optics fluorescence lifetime (imaging) ophthalmoscopy (AOFLIO) for the first time—which could provide insights into retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) health at different stages of retinal diseases.3

Conclusion

Both doctors agreed that young ophthalmologists are entering the field during an exciting time of technological and medical breakthroughs.
Dr. Sadda noted that in addition to ARVO and The Macula Society, this year he will be attending the annual meetings for the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS), EURETINA, The Retina Society, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO).

To get insights on AI, geographic atrophy, and gene editing from the president of ARVO, watch the full interview, or follow wherever you get your podcasts!

  1. Emiliani V, Entcheva E, Hedrich R, et al. Optogenetics for Light Control of Biological Systems. Nat Rev Methods Primers. 2022;2:55. doi:10.1038/s43586-022-00136-4
  2. Pierce EA, Aleman TS, Jayasundera KT, et al. Gene Editing for CEP290-Associated Retinal Degeneration. N Engl J Med. 2024;390(21):1972-1984. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2309915
  3. Bowles Johnson KE, Tang JAH, Kunala K, et al. Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging of Retinal Pigment Epithelium in Pentosan Polysulfate Toxicity Using Adaptive Optics Scanning Light Ophthalmoscopy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2024; 65(4):27. doi:10.1167/iovs.65.4.27
John W. Kitchens, MD
About John W. Kitchens, MD

John W. Kitchens, MD, received his undergraduate degree from the University of Evansville, and his Doctor of Medicine degree from Indiana University School of Medicine. He served his ophthalmology residency at the University of Iowa Hospital. Dr. Kitchens completed his fellowship and was the chief resident at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami.

Dr. Kitchens enjoys speaking both nationally and internationally about new treatments for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetes, and vascular disease. Dr. Kitchens has developed several innovative surgical techniques and has been awarded the American Society Retina Specialists “Rhett Buckler” Award on three different occasions.

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John W. Kitchens, MD
SriniVas R Sadda, MD
About SriniVas R Sadda, MD

SriniVas R. Sadda, MD, is the Director of Artificial Intelligence & Imaging Research at the Doheny Eye Institute and Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA), David Geffen School of Medicine. Dr. Sadda is also the 2024-2025 President of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) and the current President of The Macula Society.

He received his medical degree from The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. After an internship at the William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, he returned to Johns Hopkins University and the Wilmer Eye Institute in Baltimore for an ophthalmology residency as well as neuro-ophthalmology and medical retina fellowships.

Dr. Sadda’s major research interests include automated retinal image analysis, retinal substructure assessment, advanced retinal imaging technologies, and vision restoration approaches. His research has been consistently funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and multiple private organizations, including the Foundation Fighting Blindness, Research to Prevent Blindness, Foundation for Retinal Research, and the Macula Vision Research Foundation. He has organized multiple consensus efforts for the classification of various retinal disorders.

Dr. Sadda has served as Principal Investigator for over 30 major clinical trials, and has led several international collaborative research programs. He is the founder and Emeritus Director of the Doheny Image Reading Center, one of the largest centralized reading centers in the world. He has more than 550 publications in peer-reviewed journals and over 300 published abstracts.

He authored the first edition of the textbook Emerging Technologies in Retinal Disease, as well as 20 other book chapters. As an invited lecturer, he has given more than 450 presentations around the country and the world, including multiple named lectures. Dr. Sadda also serves as an editorial board member of Ophthalmic Surgery, Lasers & Imaging, Retina, Graefe’s Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology Retina, and Ophthalmology. 

More by SriniVas R Sadda, MD
SriniVas R Sadda, MD
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