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The conditions
represented by Retina South Africa include: Retinitis Pigmentosa, Macular
Degeneration, Usher Syndrome and some 200+ other rare conditions. These
retinal conditions all cause vision loss and sadly partial or total
BLINDNESS. They can occur in very young children causing a
lifetime of blindness or rob the elderly of their precious independence.
Researchers estimate that as many as 1 in 2000 in the population may be
affected while 29,7 % of the aged are at risk for Age Related Macular
Degeneration. Retinitis Pigmentosa starts in young children with
loss of night vision and progressed to loss of side vision in their late
teens or early twenties. The rate of loss is variable but tunnel vision and
functional blindness is the end result. Macular Degeneration
occurs in 2 forms, one that affects young children or the age related form
that occurs in later life. Both forms affect central vision causing loss of
the ability to read and recognise faces. Usher Syndrome is
Retinitis Pigmentosa accompanied by severe or profound hearing loss making
verbal communication almost impossible. These conditions are
generally inherited and occur most often in families with no previous history
of blindness. Retina South Africa offers supports education and counseling to
affected people and their families.
Retina South Africa funds a gene
tracking project at UCT to identify the genes causing retinal degeneration in
South African families. This is a necessary prerequisite for any gene based
therapies which will probably be available within 5 to 10 years. Retinal
degenerations are very difficult diseases to describe because each case is so
different. That is why the information presented in this web site is offered
only as a general description. If you suspect you have retinal degeneration
or any other eye problem, it is best to consult with an ophthalmologist, a
physician who specializes in the care of the eye. Only by knowing the full
details of the patient's examination and family history can the nature and
the progress of the condition be determined, and its full meaning explained.
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