Summary
PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: Retinal sensitivity over the full range of environmental lighting conditions, from dark to bright, is mediated by rod and cone photoreceptors and is fundamental to vision. Importantly, when one type of photoreceptor dies, as in retinal diseases like macular degeneration or retinal dystrophy, the remaining photoreceptor type is unable to fill-in the gap in functionality that remains. This often leads to visual impairment or blindness. Disorders of the visual system that selectively damage photoreceptors affect millions of people worldwide. In the United States alone, a
