Retinitis Pigmentosa

About This Page

Retinitis Pigmentosa differs from Macular Degeneration and Stargardt disease in that there is progressive loss of peripheral vision. Central vision is usually preserved, but in advanced stages it is like you are looking at the world through a rolled up newspaper.

People with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) also have very decreased vision at night. In the diagnostic workup, they have severe abnormalities in a test called an electroretinogram where stimulation of the retina with bright lights fails to excite any electrical reaction in the brain.

RP is part of a group of diseases called the cone-rod dystrophies. An old name, “fundus flavimaculatus” comes from the flame shape distortions of the retinal pigments seen on exam.

Grace Halloran, PhD had RP. She is the pioneer who developed the programs we discuss here and you would definitely benefit from reading her autobiography, Amazing Grace: Autobiography Of A Survivor. It will inspire you and give you hope for what is possible to preserve and restore your own vision.

These pages and this website are here to inform you of the things you can do, the history of retinitis pigmentosa treatments, the science behind it and stories to help give you some hope for your own vision. There is Hope for Sight.

We've tried to organize this material in a logical way. Please browse the tabs below and if you have questions please contact us. If you are ready to start program of self-directed treatments that can stop the vision loss and even restore lost vision then you will definitely want to contact us. Thank you.

Treatment Options

Grace Halloran, Ph.D presented the results of a research study she did in collaboration with a San Francisco ophthalmologist at a scientific conference in Minneapolis in 1997. About 85% of people in the study, with a mix of diagnoses showed significant improvement, and these improvements lasted and got better with continued home treatment over many years.

Grace Halloran's work, and this study, launched a movement of Integrative Practitioners across the globe who are working to help people recover vision who have retinal diseases that mainstream medicine considers hopeless.
You can find the results of her study by CLICKING HERE.

Additional information is in a series of three articles we published on OrganicMD.com
You can find those articles by clicking on the links below:
Retinitis Pigmentosa Treatment Now: Your Genes are Not Your Destiny (Part 1) CLICK HERE

Retinitis Pigmentosa Treatment Now, Part 2: When You Limit Your Mind, You Limit Your Possibilities CLICK HERE

Retinitis Pigmentosa Treatment Now, Part 3: There is Hope for Sight CLICK HERE

Genetics

Retinitis Pigmentosa and the other related cone-rod dystrophies have many different clinical presentations, and just as many different associated genetic abnormalities.

One interesting genetic association is the fact that there are people with defects in the gene that codes for ABCR who appear clinically to have RP. This genetic defect is usually associated with a clinical picture of Stargardt disease, but it can also be present in people with macular degeneration and RP.

This common genetic finding for such different diseases is something that no one can explain. For us, it just demonstrates what we see every day, which is that all of these diseases are more similar than they are different. So if you have RP, and you hear of some amazing breakthrough for people with macular degeneration, pay attention, for it is relevant news for you as well.

Special Considerations

Color therapy is an important part of the Better Eye Health Program, and it is especially important for people with RP. Loss of night vision is a big challenge if you have RP, and there are people who have recovered some of their night vision with the use of only the therapeutic color therapy lamp. We have a good article on color therapy at OrganicMD.com called The Surprising Origins of Color Therapy in the Treatment of Serious Eye Disease. You can see the article by CLICKING HERE.

The science behind color therapy is called Syntonics. If you would like to know more about syntonics, and why you need a therapeutic color lamp and not just colored glasses to get results, we have an article just for you. To see the article, CLICK HERE.

General Information

An estimated 1.5 million individuals have been affected by retinitis pigmentosa (RP). That means that if you or a loved one have been diagnosed with this condition—you are definitely not alone. The possibility of losing your eyesight can be terrifying. However you may find comfort in the fact that there are ways to manage this condition and maintain your eyesight. This article will help you understand your options.

What is retinitis pigmentosa?

Retinitis pigmentosa destroys the cells in the back of the eye that detect light. It often results in “tunnel vision,” and even total blindness. As a result, poor night vision is often one of the first signs of retinitis pigmentosa. All too often, people diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa become legally blind by their 40s or 50s.

Unfortunately, not much in the way of traditional Western medicine has been shown to be effective in treating retinitis pigmentosa. No drugs or surgeries have been found that bring any lasting improvement of vision

Are there alternative treatments for retinitis pigmentosa?

Your ophthalmologist may have told you that there is no cure for retinitis pigmentosa. Yet there is hope - several alternative treatments are available. These alternative treatments for retinitis pigmentosa may provide you with relief and maintain your current vision for years to come.

Microcurrent Stimulation For Retinitis Pigmentosa

One alternative treatment for retinitis pigmentosa that has shown promise is microcurrent stimulation. This is a painless and relatively non-invasive outpatient treatment. During a treatment session, various stimulating wires are placed on the nerves around your eyes, triggering cone photoreceptors and slowing the progression of the disease.

Over 80 percent of those treated see an improvement in their vision following treatment. Microcurrent stimulation has provided benefits to thousands of patients since 1983. *

Stem Cell Therapy For Retinitis Pigmentosa

In some situations, recomendations for the treatment for retinitis pigmentosa may include stem cell therapy, also known as gene therapy. This treatment entails an injection directly into the retina. During stem cell therapy the injected fluid detaches the retina. The retina then settles after the liquid is absorbed by the retinal cells. These therapies are extremely expensive, involve risk, and when they do bring some improvement of vision, it does not last, since nothing has been done to address the problems at the root of the disease that lead to degeneration.

Nutritional Therapy For Retinitis Pigmentosa

Getting sufficient vitamins and nutrients may also be an additional retinitis pigmentosa treatment for some. A prescribed regimen of heart-healthy oils and Omega-3 fatty acids have been shows to provide benefits to people diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa. As in all of the degenerative retinal diseases, supplements can only slow the progression of the disease. They do not stop it, nor will they restore lost vision.

If you've recently been diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa or another disease causing blindness, be sure to request our study, “The TRUTH Your Eye Doctor Isn’t Telling You” for more information on tackling this challenge to your vision.