These conditions are generally inherited and occur most often in families with no previous history of blindness. The RP Foundation offers supports education and counselling to affected people and their families. We also offer self employment skills to unemployed sufferers to encourage financial independence and self esteem. The Foundation also 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.