RP Knowledge

The retina is considered a window to the brain, and retinal degeneration is a complex process involving environmental stress, which can affect vulnerable neurons. High-fat diet induced metabolic alterations may influence retinal homeostasis and accelerate RP deterioration. The scientific study provides evidence that short-term high-fat feeding promotes glucose intolerance. It also triggers the expression of inflammatory and oxidative markers in the retina, because the high-fat diet increases the abundance of potentially pro-inflammatory bacteria. Thus, it speeds up photoreceptor degeneration by promoting oxidative stress ... Read more

Recently we have received some patients’ inquiries, they are concerned they have been misdiagnosed and that unlike in the case of inherited sight loss, they want to know more about autoimmune retinopathy, AIR for short. What is AIR? Autoimmune retinopathy (AIR) is a term given for patients who have a rare autoimmune condition that results in loss of photoreceptor (rods and cones) function. The immune system protects us against infection, cancer and damaged cells. The orchestrators of the immune system are our white ... Read more

Most RP mutations arise in rod photoreceptor genes, leading to diminished peripheral and night vision. To understand why cones die in RP and to be able to stop dying and revitalize dormant cones would be an enormous step forward. https://youtu.be/9xYkVagqSyY A group of researchers from the University of Louisville has made a step forward into reactivating dormant cones in the animal model of RP. First of all: why cones die in RP? Because rods allow the release of glucose from the Retinal Pigmented ... Read more

The reduced vision in RP can be progressive photoreceptor cell death and treatable complications of RP, including cataractand macular edema. The major symptom of cataract is glare, especially in bright light. The cataract surgery time in RP is earlier than age-related cataract, with an average at 30 to 59 years old. The potential risks of cataract surgery, for example, ocular inflammation and increased eye pressure play a role in RP progression. During photoreceptor cell death, inflammatory cells are activated by releasing ... Read more

How COVID-19 and The Vaccines Impact RP Patients’ Vision 1, COVID-19 damages the vision and causes irreversible damage to the optic nerves If a patient were in respiratory distress long enough, theoretically poor perfusion and oxygen deprivation could lead to possible damage to metabolically active tissues, such as the optic nerve or retina, but this has yet to be reported in COVID-19 related cases. In this instance, eye damage would be caused by decreased oxygen, rather than the virus itself. Additionally, it has been ... Read more

To understand how RP is inherited, itís important to know a little more about genes and how they are passed from parent to child. Genes are bundled together on structures called chromosomes. Each cell in your body contains 23 pairs of chromosomes. One copy of each chromosome is passed by a parent at conception through egg and sperm cells. The X and Y chromosomes, known as sex chromosomes, determine whether a person is born female (XX) or male (XY). The 22 ... Read more

You may wonder how RP is diagnosed, and why so many tests are needed to diagnose it properly. It is important to understand that a combination of many tests is often needed to separate RP from other retinal conditions. It is not uncommon for a person to visit several doctors before arriving at the diagnosis of RP. The tests also help your doctor understand how well your retina functions. Some of the tests are: Visual Acuity Testing — Visual acuity is another term for visual clarity. Most ... Read more

If you are a parent of a child with RP, it is important that you talk with your child about the condition. It is natural for parents to protect a child from knowing about the disease, but most often the child is aware of it and needs parental guidance. Children may be scared by having many 16 medical appointments and may be unsure of what to expect in the future. Your child should be encouraged to talk with you if he or she has any changes in ... Read more