Retinitis Pigmentosa

Retinitis Pigmentosa is a disease that affects the retina, a structure within the back of the eye.(1) Symptoms include loss of night vision where patients have trouble adjusting to low light conditions. Progressive retinal degeneration involves loss of peripheral vision where patients cannot see out of the corner of their eyes, until eventually they have tunnel vision. Ultimately, many patients end up with complete blindness.

What causes Retinitis Pigmentosa?

Retinitis Pigmentosa is mostly controlled by changes in genes, called mutations, that are expressed in the retina which result in dysfunction of proteins including rhodopsin.(1) There are 70 known genes that have been linked to Retinitis Pigmentosa – some are more commonly associated or more studied than others.

Structure of the Retina

The retina is made up of cells called photoreceptors, as seen in Figure 1.(2) There are two different types of photoreceptors. Rods are useful for being able to see in dark settings and are abundant in the sides of the retina. Cones are useful in bright light settings, visualising colour and for fine/sharp vision. Photoreceptors, particularly rods, degenerate when a person has Retinitis Pigmentosa.