Macular Chats

Hosted by BrightFocus Foundation

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Sep 2026

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About the show

Macular Chats are a series of free, informative audio conversations hosted by Macular Degeneration Research, a BrightFocus Foundation program, featuring retina specialists and other eye care experts who will discuss various aspects of living with macular degeneration and geographic atrophy. Topics will include macular degeneration treatments, remaining independent, and promising research on the horizon. #Ophthalmology #Macular #MacularDegeneration #GeographicAtrophy #VisionLoss #LowVision

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5 recent

October 28, 202629 min

Fire Safety for People with Low Vision

Living with vision loss can present unique safety challenges, especially when it comes to preventing and responding to emergencies. Hear from retired firefighter and EMT Lt. Thomas Medeiros, who was diagnosed with wet age-related macular degeneration in 2021 and is legally blind, as he shares practical fire safety strategies tailored for people with low vision. He will cover home fire prevention, cooking safety, smoke alarms and emergency preparedness, and creating an effective escape plan to help you and your loved ones stay safe.

September 30, 202640 min

A New Drug Delivery Approach for Wet AMD

Join us for a conversation with Daisy Shu, PhD, as she discusses her Macular Degeneration Research-funded project, New Drug Delivery Approach to Transform Macular Degeneration Treatment. Dr. Shu will share how new treatment approaches could make care easier for people with wet age-related macular degeneration by reducing the need for frequent eye injections while helping protect vision.

August 26, 202648 min

Eliminating Barriers to Care for People with Vision Loss

Hear from Dr. April McCullough of Regeneron and Katherine Freund of Independent Transportation Network of America about the real-world barriers that prevent people with vision loss from accessing timely eye care. Together, they’ll explore how social determinants of health—specifically transportation—affect vision outcomes, and highlight innovative efforts such as Rides in Sight, a free national service helping connect people with reliable transportation to sight-saving medical appointments.

July 29, 202643 min

2026 Grants in Focus: Driving Breakthroughs in Macular Degeneration

BrightFocus Foundation’s Macular Degeneration Research program is fueling the most promising scientific studies around the world to advance prevention, earlier detection, treatments, and ultimately a cure for macular degeneration. This year alone, we’ve invested $4.7 million in new funding for bold, forward-thinking research. In this session, learn about some of these pioneering projects and explore the exciting ideas shaping the future of vision research.

May 27, 202638 min

The Future of Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Geographic Atrophy: How Clinical Trials Are Paving the Way

Clinical trials are essential to advancing care for age‑related macular degeneration (AMD) and geographic atrophy (GA). In this episode, Mathew MacCumber, MD, PhD, explains how clinical trials work, the potential benefits and challenges of participation, and key factors to consider when deciding whether a trial may be right for you. The discussion will also include a high-level overview of the GALLOP clinical trial for GA and what current research means for the future of vision health.