RP is a genetic disorder that affects the retina of the eye causing sight deterioration leading to blindness.
Symptoms
Symptoms may include night blindness, tunnel vision, central vision loss and eventual blindness. The severity of symptoms will vary from person to person as will the speed at which they occur and sight is lost. The condition may manifest itself in early childhood or later in life. Some people may initially experience night blindness while their day time vision appears to be unaffected. Others may experience blind spots either centrally or peripherally, difficulty with detail such as reading, writing, and contrasts are not easily made, steps and curbs for example. There will often be light sensitivity and difficulty in adjusting from one light to another
Treatment
As yet there is no cure for RP but research has been in process for the last 25 years and advances are being made all the time. It is generally believed that a cure for RP is possibly only 5 – 10 years away, hence the need to continue to raise funds.
Useful Links
British Retinitis Pigmentosa Society
Royal National Institute of the Blind
