Russian scientists have successfully grown functional human retina tissue in a laboratory setting. This development aims to improve the testing of gene therapies for blindness, addressing limitations found with current animal models. Researchers note that animal retinas differ significantly from human retinas, leading to unreliable predictions of treatment efficacy. The lab-grown tissue allows for testing gene therapies directly on human cells, potentially accelerating the development of effective treatments. The research, detailed in *Retinal Gene Therapy: Methods and Protocols*, represents a significant step towards personalized medicine for retinal diseases. This breakthrough could lead to more accurate and efficient clinical trials, ultimately benefiting patients suffering from various forms of blindness. The cultured retinas provide a platform for studying disease mechanisms and refining therapeutic approaches.