Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is not one single illness but a broad group of inherited retinal disorders that all share a common endpoint: the slow, progressive loss of the rod and cone photoreceptor cells lining the retina. It ranks as the most commonly diagnosed inherited retinal disease anywhere in the world, and Ghanaian families who have just received an RP diagnosis usually want two things clarified first — what the disease means for everyday vision, and what options genuinely exist to slow it down.
Because RP tends to unfold gradually over years, the clinical team’s first priority is pinpointing exactly how far a patient has progressed along the disease timeline before any treatment plan is even discussed. That individual staging, rather than a generic protocol applied to everyone, is what ultimately guides the recommendations given to a Ghanaian patient once they arrive in India for evaluation.

Associate Professor, Vitreo-Retina Surgeon. 10+ Years Experience

Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist & Eye Surgeon· 26+ yrs experience

Consultant Ophthalmologist & Eye Surgeon, MD, DO .16+ Years Experience
For patients whose evaluation supports it, regenerative stem cell therapy is offered as one part of a wider strategy aimed at preserving whatever retinal tissue is still functioning. This is combined with low-vision rehabilitation techniques, practical advice on lighting and safe mobility, and dietary counselling — all brought together so the patient heads back to Ghana with a coherent, long-term management plan rather than a single standalone procedure.
“No. How much vision is eventually lost, and how quickly, differs enormously from person to person depending on the gene involved and how it is inherited. A great many people with RP keep some functional vision, especially central vision, well into old age, which is why each case needs individual assessment rather than being judged by the diagnosis label alone.”
“
That depends entirely on how the specific gene responsible is inherited, and genetic testing can help clarify this. Our team is able to explain what your family’s particular inheritance pattern suggests, though formal genetic counselling around future family planning is best handled together with a certified genetic counsellor.”
“A standard eye check-up looks mainly for common problems such as refractive error or cataract. Evaluating RP calls for equipment most local clinics simply don’t carry — particularly ERG and detailed peripheral field mapping — which is exactly why many families choose to travel for a dedicated, specialist assessment.”
“Bring along any eye reports you already have, a note of which family members are affected if that’s known, and a clear account of when symptoms first appeared and how they’ve changed since. This history alone can significantly speed up the diagnostic process.”
