Modifying treatment of degenerative retinal diseases. Part 2. Conditioning therapy techniques and the problem of maximizing retinal plasticity

Abstract

In the first part of the review [ROJ, 2023; 16 (2): 160–2], we discussed the common and specific features of adaptive and non-adaptive retinal plasticity characteristic of glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy, and retinopathy of prematurity. The presented part of the review discusses the issues of axon regeneration of retinal ganglion cells and analyzes therapeutic approaches aimed at maximizing the plasticity and stimulating the reparative potential of the retina. The protective effects of "conditioning" stimuli in the modifying treatment of retinal diseases are considered. Some of the present-day visual rehabilitation strategies based on visual perception training and visual fixation training using biofeedback systems are reported.

Keywords

• regeneration of axons
• retinal ganglion cells
• maximizing retinal plasticity
• neurodegenerative diseases
• modifying treatment
• conditioning stimuli
• visual rehabilitation techniques