Cone degeneration is common in German Shorthaired Pointers. It has become standard practice for ethical breeders to gene test both the dam and sire prior to breeding to make sure neither carry the gene. Doesn’t it seem so much easier to not breed a pair if one carries the gene than fix a problem?
Of course if this can carry over to human cures that would be fantastic as humans can have similiar problems.
Yes, that is where the research is going.