Mission & Vision
Fondation Voir et Entendre (The See and Hear Foundation) supports the Institut de la Vision, one of the world’s leading centers focused on vision-related diseases. Founded by Professor José-Alain Sahel, the institute brings together scientists, researchers, doctors, patients, and industry professionals in a collaborative space dedicated to pioneering treatments and improving the quality of life for people with visual impairments.
The Institut de la Vision’s patient-centered approach drives its mission to develop and test new therapeutic and technological solutions that prevent and mitigate eye diseases. The institute brings together the National Eye Hospital (15-20), entirely dedicated to treating pathologies affecting vision, and the Clinical Investigation Center (CIC), which carries out clinical and research projects, as well as the Center for Rare Retinal Diseases. Designed to foster scientific exchange, the Institut de la Vision enables ideas to be shared and new questions to emerge, accelerating the transfer of research findings to patient care.
Actions Led
The Institut de la Vision is tackling both major public health issues in ophthalmology and rarer diseases in order to bring hope to all those impacted by low vision or blindness. These include the most common vision diseases, such as AMD, glaucoma, myopia, diabetic retinopathy, corneal and ocular surface disease, dry and painful eyes, venous occlusions, and uveitis. However, rare ocular diseases are also targeted, including pigmentary retinopathies, Usher syndrome, Stargardt disease, and optic neuropathies.
The institute is advancing therapeutic innovations in areas such as artificial retinas and gene, cell, optogenetic, and sonogenetic therapies. Utilizing high-resolution imaging diagnostics, it also develops assistive technologies through projects with artificial streets, driving simulators, and other real-world models to improve autonomy and mobility for visually impaired individuals and seniors.
More than 300 researchers work across five research departments at the Institut de la Vision:
- Developmental Biology of the Visual System
- Genetics
- Visual Information Processing
- Pathophysiology and Therapeutics
- Photonics
Thanks to the generous donors of the Institut de la Vision, in France and abroad, research is accelerating to give hope to millions of patients.
Projects that US Donors Can Support
Through Friends of Fondation de France, US donors have the opportunity to support cutting-edge research in ophthalmology, with a particular focus on understanding the mechanisms behind vision loss and developing innovative treatments.
This initiative includes studies on retinal diseases, neuroprotection, gene therapies, and advanced imaging techniques for diagnosing eye conditions, fostering the advancement of knowledge and supporting breakthroughs in preventing and treating blindness and other vision-related disorders.
By contributing, US donors can help accelerate these vital discoveries, bringing hope and improved quality of life to those affected by visual impairments.