Research focused on the treatment of a common form of retinitis pigmentosa (RP), X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP), has demonstrated the efficacy of gene augmentation to prevent disease development and restore photoreceptor morphology. The research, led by an NEI (US National Eye Institute) funded research group, extends the potential application of gene therapy technologies beyond the initial studies on recessive disorders. The exciting results suggest that some of the more common forms of RP may benefit from strategies aimed at treating the very root cause of many retinal degenerative pathologies.