A major challenge in the treatment of retinal degenerative diseases, with the transplantation of replacement photoreceptors, is the difficulty in inducing the grafted cells to grow and maintain light sensitive outer segments (OS) in the host retina, which depends on proper interaction with the underlying retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). For a RPE-independent treatment approach, we introduced a hyperpolarizing microbial opsin into photoreceptor precursors from new-born mice, and transplanted them into blind mice lacking the photoreceptor layer. These optogenetically transformed photoreceptors were light responsive and their transplantation lead to the recovery of visual function, as shown by ganglion cell recordings and behavioral tests. Subsequently, we generated cone photoreceptors from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), expressing the chloride pump Jaws. AfterWe thank Thierry Leveillard for providing the rd1 mice and Cheryl Craft for providing the hCAR antibody. We are thankful to Romain Caplette, Olivier Marre and Stéphane Deny for their help with the MEA recording and analysis. We thank Abhishek Sengupta for the construction of the light/dark box. We are grateful to Mélissa Desrosiers and Camille Robert for AAV productions and the fundraising department of the Vision Institute. MG optimized AAV mediated transduction of hiPSC-derived retinal organoids, performed culture, imaging, qPCR and histology, designed experiments and wrote the manuscript. ML performed in vivo injections, cell transplantation, MEA recordings, behavioral experiments, confocal microscopy, histology, designed experiments and wrote the manuscript. AC performed patch-clamp recordings and 2-photon imaging. LG generated hiPSC-derived retinal organoids, performed in vivo injections, cell transplantations, behavioral experiments, imaging, and histology. FR performed behavioral experiments. TF contributed to cell transplantation. GG and SR helped to optimize hiPSC cultures and differentiation protocols. SP and JAS provided scientific input, financial and administrative support. OG provided hiPSCs and gave feedback on the manuscript. MA provided Cpfl1/Rho -/mice, contributed to cell transplantation and gave feedback on the manuscript. DD and JD designed experiments and wrote the manuscript.