Blindness can be caused by retinal degeneration and a consequent inability to interpret incoming light stimuli. Although several promising repair strategies have been proposed, they are all invasive and not without complications. Here, the authors described a novel approach involving 'photoswitch' compounds that enable neuronally expressed voltage-gated ion channels to become photosensitive. In a mouse model of retinal degeneration, the photoswitch DENAQ restored retinal photoreception with negligible toxicity, suggesting that it holds promise for retinal repair in humans.