What does it look like to do the research that could one day change outcomes for children with retinal disease? Dr. Michael Risner and Dr. Luis Villa-Diaz can tell you firsthand.

Both assistant professors and researchers at the Oakland University Eye Research Center, Dr. Risner and Dr. Villa-Diaz were awarded a pilot grant through PRRF to support their work in pediatric retinal research. In this episode, they pull back the curtain on what life in the lab really looks like, why research takes as long as it does, and what role donor funding plays in keeping that work moving forward.

Connect with Dr. Risner at [email protected].

Connect with Dr. Villa-Diaz at [email protected].

Learn more about the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine Eye Research Center (OUWB-ERC): oakland.edu/medicine/research/eye-research-center/

Want to be a guest on the podcast? If you or someone you know has a story to share — whether you've experienced a pediatric retinal condition yourself or are raising a child who has — we'd love to hear from you. Reach out to us at [email protected].

You can find more episodes and ways to get involved with the Pediatric Retinal Research Foundation here: linktr.ee/throughoureyespodcast

Jessica Dail was born weighing one pound, two ounces. She has ROP and her vision fluctuates from day to day. She also holds a job she loves, has a ham radio license, hosts her own podcast, and is writing a book.

In this episode, Jessica shares her story, from fighting to learn braille in fourth grade, to building a career in public transportation, to launching Rethinking Blindness, her own podcast platform for the blind and low vision community.

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

Jessica's Website: https://jessicadail.com/

Jessica's Email: [email protected]

Rethinking Blindness Podcast: https://rethinkingblindness.podbean.com/

SongSight Music Mentoring Retreat: https://songsightretreat.com/

American Council of the Blind (ACB) Radio Amateurs: https://www.acbhams.com/

Want to be a guest on the podcast? If you or someone you know has a story to share — whether you've experienced a pediatric retinal condition yourself or are raising a child who has — we'd love to hear from you. Reach out to us at [email protected].

You can find more episodes and ways to get involved with the Pediatric Retinal Research Foundation here: https://linktr.ee/throughoureyespodcast

In 1998, Carlos T. Reza was a correctional officer in California when he first noticed something was wrong with his vision on the firing range. Within a year, after multiple surgeries and a cornea transplant, he had lost vision in both eyes.

In this episode, Carlos sits down with Jeanne McClellan to share what it was really like to navigate vision loss in his early thirties — medically retiring from the prison system, learning to use a cane, picking up braille, and then deciding, with no college experience, that he was going to earn a doctoral degree in psychology.

Thirteen years later, he did. Walking across the graduation stage to a standing ovation, Carlos knew he was exactly where he was supposed to be. His message to anyone navigating vision loss is simple: accept it, embrace it, and figure out how to use it to move forward. You cannot finish a race without doing one step at a time.

Want to be a guest on the podcast? If you or someone you know has a story to share — whether you've experienced a pediatric retinal condition yourself or are raising a child who has — we'd love to hear from you. Reach out to us at [email protected].

You can find more episodes and ways to get involved with the Pediatric Retinal Research Foundation here: https://linktr.ee/throughoureyespodcast

Accessibility doesn't have to come with a complicated price tag or a steep learning curve. Sometimes the most powerful tools are the simplest ones.

In this episode, Dawn Campbell, Chief Operating Officer of the TouchPad Pro Foundation, shares the story behind the BrailleDoodle — a tactile learning device that helps blind and low vision children and adults explore braille and independent learning through touch. And here's a bonus: it doesn't require batteries or an internet connection.

Dawn shares how the BrailleDoodle came to life out of a teacher's determination to reach his students during the pandemic, and what happens emotionally when someone picks up a device that lets them create something entirely on their own.

This is for parents who have wondered when to introduce tactile learning, educators looking for tools that actually work in a classroom, and families who want to give their child a foundation for independence.

To learn more about BrailleDoodle, explore their resources, or get one into your child's hands, visit brailledoodle.org.

Want to be a guest on the podcast? If you or someone you know has a story to share — whether you've experienced a pediatric retinal condition yourself or are raising a child who has — we'd love to hear from you. Reach out to us at [email protected].

You can find more episodes and ways to get involved with the Pediatric Retinal Research Foundation here: https://linktr.ee/throughoureyespodcast

Most people know that research takes time. Few people understand what that actually means — the decades of experiments, the failed hypotheses, the teams of students, and the quiet persistence that eventually moves something from a lab to a clinical trial.

In this episode, Dr. Kenneth Mitton, Director of the Pediatric Retinal Research Laboratory, and Nicole Giudici, MS, PA-C and member of the PRRF Board of Directors, pull back the curtain on what research really looks like. Dr. Mitton traces the decades-long journey from the discovery of the protein at the center of Norrie disease and FEVR to where Retinova Therapeutics stands today, on the cusp of an FDA clinical trial application. Along the way, he explains what it means to train the next generation of scientists and physicians in a lab made possible by PRRF donors and the families who trusted the process.

This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered where their donation goes, how long research really takes, or what it means to be part of a community that is genuinely moving the needle.

Want to be a guest on the podcast? If you or someone you know has a story to share — whether you've experienced a pediatric retinal condition yourself or are raising a child who has — we'd love to hear from you. Reach out to us at [email protected].

You can find more episodes and ways to get involved with the Pediatric Retinal Research Foundation here: https://linktr.ee/throughoureyespodcast

Breyanna Soper was diagnosed with FEVR at nine years old. By her early twenties, she had lost the majority of her functional vision. What she didn't lose was her determination or, eventually, the partner who would walk every step of that journey with her.

In this special Father's Day episode, Breyanna and her husband Matthew join us for an honest conversation about what life, love, and parenthood really look like when one partner has significant vision loss. They share how they met, what it took for Matthew to truly understand what living with low vision meant, how they navigated the decision to start a family knowing their son Leland could carry the FEVR gene, and what the early months of parenthood have looked like for a family that has never been afraid to figure things out as they go.

This episode is for every parent, partner, and caregiver who has ever wondered if vision loss changes what's possible. Breyanna's answer is simple: there's always a way.

Want to be a guest on the podcast? If you or someone you know has a story to share — whether you've experienced a pediatric retinal condition yourself or are raising a child who has — we'd love to hear from you. Reach out to us at [email protected].

You can find more episodes and ways to get involved with the Pediatric Retinal Research Foundation here: https://linktr.ee/throughoureyespodcast

Matthew Shifrin was 13 years old when a family friend typed out the first ever set of accessible Lego instructions for him on a braille typewriter. That experience changed everything. A decade later, Matthew founded Bricks for the Blind, a nonprofit that has adapted over 550 Lego sets and now reaches blind and visually impaired builders in more than 120 countries, all for free.

In this episode, Matthew shares the story behind Bricks for the Blind and what it really means for a blind child to be able to build a Lego set independently — the confidence, the joy, the learning, and the sense of belonging that comes with it. He walks through how the process works, why sorting pieces is more important than most people realize, and what he has learned from the builders who write to him from all over the world. He also speaks candidly about what companies and organizations consistently get wrong when designing for blind and visually impaired people, and what it would take to do better.

To explore free accessible Lego instructions, donate, or get involved as a writer or tester, visit BricksForTheBlind.org or email [email protected]. You can also find Bricks for the Blind on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn at @bricks4theblind.

Want to be a guest on the podcast? If you or someone you know has a story to share — whether you've experienced a pediatric retinal condition yourself or are raising a child who has — we'd love to hear from you. Reach out to us at [email protected].

You can find more episodes and ways to get involved with the Pediatric Retinal Research Foundation here: https://linktr.ee/throughoureyespodcast

When Mike Mulligan went to get contacts before a high school basketball game, he had no idea that appointment would change the entire trajectory of his life. He was diagnosed with Coats' disease at 18. Mike then built something he never expected: a career dedicated to helping others navigate vision loss with confidence, independence, and possibility.

In this episode, Mike shares his journey from diagnosis to becoming both a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist and a Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist, and the work he does today through Blind On the Move. He breaks down why Braille still matters in a world full of audio technology, how assistive tech is opening doors that didn't exist a decade ago, and what families can do right now to help their child build independence — even when it feels easier to just step in and do it for them.

To learn more about Mike's work and find resources for the blind and low vision community, visit BlindOnTheMove.com or reach out to Mike directly at [email protected].

Want to be a guest on the podcast? If you or someone you know has a story to share — whether you've experienced a pediatric retinal condition yourself or are raising a child who has — we'd love to hear from you. Reach out to us at [email protected].

You can find more episodes and ways to get involved with the Pediatric Retinal Research Foundation here: https://linktr.ee/throughoureyespodcast

When Amber Bobnar's son Ivan was diagnosed with Leber's Congenital Amaurosis at just a few months old, she found herself searching for answers, resources, and most of all, connection. What she found instead was a private email listserv full of invaluable information that no one outside of it could access. So she decided to change that.

In this episode, Amber shares the story behind WonderBaby.org — the resource she built that has grown into a meaningful home for parents of children with visual impairments and multiple disabilities. She opens up about the early days of Ivan's diagnosis, the unexpected challenges of advocating for a medically complex child in a place with limited resources, and the hard-won lesson she wishes she had learned sooner: that love and connection matter more than any resource she could gather.

To explore WonderBaby's library of resources, articles, and community for families raising children with visual impairments, visit the website: WonderBaby.org

Follow WonderBaby on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wonderbaby.org/

You can find more episodes and ways to get involved with the Pediatric Retinal Research Foundation here: https://linktr.ee/throughoureyespodcast

Dr. Antonio Capone has spent his career changing what is possible for children with retinal diseases. In this episode, he shares the journey from his early start in psychiatry to finding his calling in pediatric retina, where precision surgery meets long-term impact.

You'll hear how the field evolved over decades, why severe ROP cases declined, and how training specialists around the world helped bring sight-saving care closer to home for families. Dr. Capone also explains how PRRF expanded beyond research to support parents raising children with rare retinal disease, and why the greatest challenge today is not always medical, but helping young adults move from education to independent, employed lives.

Read Jeanne McClellan's blog post with Dr. Capone on our website: https://prrf.org/a-conversation-with-dr-tony-capone/

Join us April 17-19, 2026 for a powerful weekend that educates, inspires, and unites. Saturday's Family Connection Conference brings education and resources to families affected by pediatric retinal diseases, while Sunday's Hope for Vision Walk brings together our community to fund critical research and programs. Participate in one or both events, either virtually or in person at Oakland University in Rochester, MI: https://prrf.org/upcoming-events/united-in-hope/

You can find more episodes and ways to get involved with the Pediatric Retinal Research Foundation here: https://linktr.ee/throughoureyespodcast