USH2A and retinal degeneration: Although further studies are needed to fully characterize the natural history of hearing loss and retinal degeneration phenotype in USH2A KO rabbits and to determine the exact mechanism of photoreceptor dysfunction observed in this model, we believe that this USH2A mutant rabbit model will serve as a useful large animal model with which to study the pathophysiology of RP in USH and develop novel treatments.