Retinitis pigmentosa | Disease | Overview | Office of Rare …

Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD) Other Names for this Disease See Disclaimer regarding information on this site. Some links on this page may take you to organizations outside of the National Institutes of Health. Overview Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the name given to a group of inherited eye diseases that affect thelight-sensitive part of the eye (retina). RP causes cells in the retina to breakdown and die, eventually resulting in vision loss. The first sign of RP is usually night blindness.As the condition progresses, affected individuals alsodevelop tunnel vision.Sometimes RP occurs by itself (isolated RP), and other times it occurs with additional signs and symptoms (syndromic RP).Mutationsin at least 50 genes have been found tocause RP. There is no cure for RP, however, there are a few treatment options to slow down the progression of the disease. These options include light avoidance, use of low-vision aids, and vitamin A supplementation.[1]

Last updated: 10/14/2011

Office of Rare Diseases Research National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) National Institutes of Health 301-402-4336 6701 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 1001, Bethesda, MD 20892

See the original post here:
Retinitis pigmentosa | Disease | Overview | Office of Rare ...