Retinitis pigmentosa is an inherited eye disorder where there is progressive retinal dystrophy.

Retinitis pigmentosa along with the deafness is called Usher syndrome.

It is often associated with many diseases like neurosyphilis, toxoplasmosis, abetalipoproteinnemia and Refsum’s disease

Symptoms and signs of retinitis pigmentosa

• Progressive loss of vision

• Night blindness

• Tunnel vision

• Loss of peripheral vision in the early stages

• Loss of central vision in the end stages

• The pathognomonic feature of this is presence of mottling of the retinal pigment epithelium with black bone spicule pigmentation. The optic nerve appear as waxy pallor.

 Tests and diagnosis

• Electroretinography

• Visual field testing

• Fluorescein angiography

• Retinal photography

• Side vision test

• Slit lamp examaintion\Visual acuity testing

 Treatment:

• There is no effective treatment for retinitis pigmentosa.

• Sunglasses are advised to prevent eye damage due to ultraviolet rays.