28 September
World Retina Day is focused on seeking a cure for retinitis pigmentosa and allied diseases.
Inherited retinal dystrophies such as retinitis pigmentosa, Usher syndrome, macular degeneration and allied retinal disorders continue to be significant causes of vision loss globally. Retinal dystrophies affect more than 40 million people worldwide.
Retinitis pigmentosa is the name of a group of inherited retinal dystrophies that cause degeneration of the retina of the eye. The retina, at the back of the eye, is a thin sheet of interconnected nerve cells including the light sensitive cells (rods and cones). It is here that light is converted into electrical signals to the brain where 'seeing' takes place.
In retinitis pigmentosa, the rod and cone cells degenerate. The rate of progression varies. There is no cure at this time.
