This week is cause for celebration at the Foundation Fighting Blindness, because it was exactly a year ago, today, that we launched Eye on the Cure. In the debut post, Dr. Steve Rose, our chief research officer, wrote that, with any research project FFB considers funding, he asks himself, “Is the juice worth the squeeze?” In other words, is the project worth the time and resources necessary to get it up and running? He posited that Eye on the Cure was well worth the squeeze because it was an “opportunity to share not only our expertise, but the expertise of those in the field we consider invaluable.”

Well, after one year and 98 posts (the one you’re reading makes 99), we can look back with pride on the “juice” we’ve produced thus far. Early on, Dr. Rose, as our primary blogger, took the lead in explaining basic retinal science as well the diseases FFB targets and the lab and clinical work it supports and funds.

He even took our readers on a few research-oriented trips – a seminar in Boca Raton, for instance, meetings with FFB partners in Israel and the annual ARVO conference.

Highlights from Eye on the Cure’s First Year
Tell us what you think about Eye on the Cure

But Dr. Rose, as you can imagine, is a busy guy. So we’ve since introduced a variety of guest bloggers (Dr. David Gamm, Patricia Zilliox, Michael Stone) as well as recurring contributors (John Corneille, Mrs. World April Lufriu), so as to cover the gamut of what the Foundation does to raise funds and awareness and fuel cutting-edge research. In fact, Eye on the Cure served as FFB’s platform for sharing the wealth of information and experiences provided by our VISIONS 2012 conference last summer, in Minneapolis.

All posts are shared on Twitter and Facebook, where we’ve received lots of “likes” and positive feedback, much of it shared across readers’ social networks. So, aside from thanking the bloggers who’ve contributed this past year, we thank you, the reader, for making Eye on the Cure a success.

That said, we’re not resting on laurels. Whether you’re a first-time reader or return visitor, I invite you to fill out this survey. Let us know what you enjoy reading about and would like to see more of – or see, period, if we haven’t covered it yet. Over the next year, as we follow the research moving us closer to treatments and cures, we want to ensure we’re offering compelling, informative and valuable posts.

This is, of course, a birthday celebration.  So below, or in the photo grid above, you’ll find a list of posts serving as both highlights and a diverse sampling of Eye on the Cure’s first year. You may have seen some or all of them already. Regardless, I think you’ll find them “worth the squeeze.”

• The Foundation’s 5 Most Asked Questions About Clinical Trials
• A Truly Grand Dame
• Driving: A Very Familiar Story …Sort Of
• Gene Therapies for Stargardt Disease and Wet AMD Deemed Safe Thus Far
• Top 12 Research Advancements of 2012
• We’ve Been Googled
• Have I Got a Cure for You! Debunking an Alleged Treatment on the Internet
• Kicking Off a Charitable Season
• The iPhone as Assistive Technology: The Good, The Bad and The Funny