Families of inherited eye diseases tend to degenerate photoreceptors, the rods and cones that make up your retina. Mutations have lead to more than 59 genes being discovered by scientists related to Retinitis Pigmentosa. Could a relative in your family be affected by one of these genes or diseases? They may need help or employment at
Lions Services.

A List of Eye Conditions Identified Worldwide:

Usher Syndrome is a severe condition that causes hearing loss AND vision loss.

• This condition is hereditary, meaning passed down by genes.
• Usher syndrome results in retinitis pigmentosa, but also deteriorates sound receptor cells as well.
• Unfortunately, there is no cure for this disease, but despite that, intelligence is NOT affected.

Retinitis Pigmentosa can affect 1 in around 3000 individuals.

• • R.P. is a family of genetically passed down diseases.
  • While not making up one, but many diseases in its category, it is one of the most common forms of visual impairment that can lead to blindness. (In some rare cases, total blindness.)
  • This disease affects X-linked patterns inside the genes, while studies show retinitis pigmentosa can posses both recessive or dominant behavior.

  Age-Related Macular Degeneration usually begins to appear in adults over 49-50 years.

• • Usually A.M.D begins in adulthood, but in unique cases it does appear at earlier ages in juveniles.
  • There are various forms of A.M.D: Wet and Dry, meaning wet form is because of blood vessel leaks under the retina, while dry form is related closely to the thinning of the macula due to age.
  • It can occur relative to high blood pressure, diet, bad smoking habits, or other risk factors.

  Glaucoma is a painful eye condition that damages the optic nerve.

• Glaucoma can severely impact one’s comfort, requiring frequent medical attention and eye drops daily.
• Analysts predict more than 100 million humans would be affected by this visual disorder in future years.
• Commonly, pressure in the eye may lead to chronic visual field loss.

Cataracts primarily occur via age and are the fogging of the eye’s lens.

• Cataracts in some cases are a regular, predictable part of aging.
• Like Glaucoma, surgery is considered medically necessary to treat Cataracts.
• Visual discomfort becomes prevalent as this condition is known to cloud, fade, or impair vision if left untreated.

Retinal Detachment, a critical condition with many dreadful causes:

• A tear in the retina from injury or due to surgery heavily implies a patient or individual will suffer from extreme nearsightedness.
• A condition such as this can happen in both eyes, or sometimes just in one eye.
• Detachment or tears can develop in parts of the retina, and eventually spread leading to permanent vision loss.

Retinopathy is one of few (in some cases) preventable forms of vision loss.

• Blood vessels in the eye are damaged, due largely to other health factors.
• Diabetic Retinopathy is a type of Retinopathy that worsens the longer one suffers from high blood sugar.
• Type one or type two diabetes increases the risk of developing floaters (distortions in the visual field) or worse.

What can be done to empower those who are fighting these life changing conditions head on? Lions Services in North Carolina may be a start.

Come visit “Our Story” in the about us section or stop by to visit our Home with over 100 Blind or Visually Impaired hard-working employees.