Retinitis Pigmentosa is the name given to a
group of diseases which affect the retina of the eye. The retina, located in the back of the eye, is the part of the eye that acts like the film in a camera. It is a delicate layer of cells which picks up the picture and transmits it to the brain - where "seeing" actually occurs. In RP, the retina begins to degenerate, which causes vision to diminish. One of the earliest symptoms of RP is difficulty seeing at night or in dimly lit places (night blindness). Later there is a reduction in side (peripheral) vision. The symptoms of RP generally increase over the years. It is known that certain cells in the retina, known as rods and cones, die in RP. The cause of cell death however, is not known at present, but research provides us with the opportunity to seek solutions. The symptoms of RP may occur at any age but most commonly they become apparent in young people in their late teens or early twenties.
Normal Vision Tunnel Vision
RP first presents difficulties with night vision
or under conditions of dull lighting and may cause progressive loss of
peripheral or side vision.
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