Choroideremia Research Foundation to Host Free Blindness and Low Vision Community Event in New York City

November gathering will connect individuals and families with vision professionals, researchers, and organizations providing supportive regional resources

SPRINGFIELD, MA, UNITED STATES, September 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Choroideremia Research Foundation (CRF) will host a free, in-person NYC Choroideremia Patient & Family Meeting on Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry in New York City.

Choroideremia (CHM) is a rare, inherited retinal disease that causes progressive vision loss. It primarily affects males and often begins with night blindness and loss of peripheral vision before progressing to more significant vision loss. There is currently no approved treatment or cure for CHM, making research, clinical care, and community support especially important for individuals and families affected by the disease.

While the meeting is designed specifically for individuals and families affected by CHM, the event will also highlight resources, services, and organizations that support people who are blind or living with low vision throughout New York City and the surrounding region.

Connecting the Community With Local Resources:

A major focus of the November 14 meeting will be connecting attendees with organizations that provide practical resources and services for people who are blind or have low vision.

Representatives from Foundation Fighting Blindness – New York Chapter, Visions / Selis Manor, the New York Public Library, Helen Keller Services for the Blind, and the New York State Commission for the Blind will be available to share information about programs and services available throughout the region.

Foundation Fighting Blindness – New York Chapter will provide information and resources for individuals and families affected by inherited retinal diseases. Visions / Selis Manor will highlight services that support independence and daily living for people who are blind or have low vision. The New York Public Library will share information about accessible technology and library resources, while Helen Keller Services for the Blind will provide information about rehabilitation, employment, and other services designed to promote independence. The New York State Commission for the Blind will share information about vocational rehabilitation and other services available to New Yorkers who are legally blind.

Together, these organizations will give attendees an opportunity to learn about resources that can support people at different stages of their vision loss journey.

Research and Clinical Updates:

The meeting will also feature presentations from researchers and clinicians working in ophthalmology, optometry, and inherited retinal disease.

Confirmed presenters include John-Ross Rizzo, MD, PhD, of NYU Langone Health and a member of the Choroideremia Research Foundation Board; Steven Tsang, MD, PhD, of Columbia University Medical Center and a member of the CRF Scientific Advisory Board; Arathy Kartha, PhD, of SUNY College of Optometry; and Rebecca Marinoff, OD, of SUNY College of Optometry.

Presentations will provide attendees with updates on current research and clinical developments relevant to individuals affected by choroideremia and their families.

Event Information:

The NYC CHM Patient & Family Meeting will take place Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the SUNY College of Optometry in New York City. The event is free, and registration is required.

For more information and to register, visit https://secure.qgiv.com/for/newyorkcitychmpatientandfamilymeeting/event/suny/

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About Choroideremia:

Choroideremia (CHM) is a rare inherited form of blindness affecting approximately 1 in 50,000-100,000 people. Due to its X-linked inheritance pattern, males are most severely affected, with females usually experiencing much milder visual impairment. Symptoms begin in early childhood, with night blindness and restriction of visual field being the earliest noticeable effects, eventually progressing to complete blindness. An estimated 6,000 people in the United States and 10,000 in the European Union are impacted by choroideremia. There are currently no approved treatments for choroideremia. For more information, visit curechm.org/what-is-choroideremia/

About the Choroideremia Research Foundation Inc.:

The Choroideremia Research Foundation (CRF) was founded in 2000 as an international fundraising and patient advocacy organization to stimulate research on CHM. Since its inception, the CRF has provided approximately $6 million in research awards and is the largest financial supporter of CHM research worldwide. Research funded by the CRF has led to the development of a CHM animal model, the pre-clinical production of gene therapy vectors, and the CRF Biobank which stores tissue and stem cell samples donated by CHM patients. For more information, or to make a donation to support research, visit curechm.org.

Saving Sight Is Our Vision. Building Hope Is How We’ll Get There.

Reagan Devinney
Choroideremia Research Foundation Inc
+1 800-210-0233
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