Retinitis pigmentosa, more commonly referred to as RP, is a hereditary retinal degeneration condition affecting millions worldwide. Patients suffering from retinitis pigmentosa first complain of night blindness and then notice a gradual but definite loss of their peripheral vision.
Visual loss occurs because of the degeneration of rods and cones photoreceptors along the retina which are responsible for our seeing shades and our peripheral vision. This loss of the visual field often leads to the person being declared legally blind. People suffering from RP often lose their ability to drive before they are middle aged, as well as finding that certain careers are now closed to them.
Retinitis pigmentosa has many negative effects on a person’s life, foremost with many people is the helplessness they feel as there is no treatment retinitis pigmentosa available in many areas of the world. I’m not talking about third world countries where medical care is not widely available, but modern industrial nation in North America and Europe.
While ozone therapies have shown much promise, they are only available in certain countries. Cuba is especially popular for providing treatment retinitis pigmentosa to their own citizens as well as to visitors seeking to stop or reverse the damage caused by RP. The government of Cuba has taken a special interest in eradicating this disease and the treatment options offer in Cuba have shown the in the early stages of the disease, patients showed significant improvement in their vision.
So why isn’t the treatment for retinitis pigmentosa available everywhere? The treatment is not recognized by the international medical society and many people are unaware of its existence. There are many countries that view anything from Cuba with suspicion, even a treatment which could save millions of people from having a permanent disability that severely restricts their activities.