Could I have Retinitis Pigmentosa? Very Scared.

Well, I'm 19 and for awhile now, maybe a month I've been noticing that when it's dark I see like white lines and it seems to sorta block out visually things I look at that are black or dark colored. It will have to be very smal, like a word I'm trying to read in the dark or something small so the light I see is covering it. I can see better if I'm look at something with my peripheral vision in the dark.

I was out 3 weeks ago at night and I remember not really being able to see my friends face clearly. It was dark, so naturally someone shouldn't see face details, but instead of darkness I felt like I saw lights covering their face. It's very hard to describle.

Earlier this month, I went to the eye doctor because of these sypmtoms. He did a Examination of the retina by ophthalmoscopy after the pupils have been dilated I believe and a side vision test. All which were perfect fine.

After reading about RP, I'm getting very scared. Is it possible I could have this even if the eye doctor said behind my eye was fine?

[walkietalkie]

you probably read too much, imagine too much and spent too much time in the dark. i bet the doc will say see a real eyeMD. Find one at www.aao.org.

[berrywoo]

RP is a degenerative disease that usually affects the rods first. So if you were in the dark or low light conditions your night vision would be terrible and you would NOT be able to see better out of your periphery b/c most of the rods are located in the peripheral retina.

I agree w/ walkietalkie. You're probably over-reacting and should go and see a general opthalmologist to make sure nothing is wrong.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Your symptoms don't suggest RP as a cause. If the "eye doctor" was not an ophthalmologist eye MD then you need to see one. Ask your family MD for a referral or go to www.aao.org to find one near you. If you did see an Eye MD then consider seeing a second for a second opinion or if possible an Eye MD that specializes in neuroophthalmology.  

JCH MD