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AMD
| Cataract | Diabetic
Retinophaty | Glaucoma | Retinitis
Pigmentosa
The disorder can be caused by defects in any of several different genes
which have recently been identified. Retinitis pigmentosa commonly runs
in families. The cells controlling night vision, called rods, are primarily
affected, but other types of the disease with mainly damaged retinal cone
cells are also known. Dark pigmentation may be present on the retina.
As the disease progresses, peripheral vision is lost as well and may lead
to blindness. Signs and symptoms often first appear in childhood, but
visual incapacity usually does not develop until early adulthood. The
main risk factor is a family history of retinitis pigmentosa. It is an
uncommon condition affecting about one in 4,000 in the U.S.
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