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Retinitis pigmentosa (RP): losing night and side vision, the genes, the tests, and making the most of your sight
For anyone told they have retinitis pigmentosa or who may have it, for parents of a child who has trouble seeing in the dark, and for families. It passes on, by name, what the National Eye Institute (NEI, part of the NIH) says about RP: what it is and the symptoms; the causes, the genes and families; the eye exam and the tests; treatment, vitamins and low vision help; and why regular eye exams matter. It builds the questions to ask and prints a card. Nothing is saved.
Right now
- Sudden loss of sight with a drooping face, weakness or numbness, or trouble speaking? Call 911 (ours: the NEI page does not name 911).
- A curtain over your vision, a lot of new floaters or flashes, or sight that drops suddenly? NEI says RP changes slowly, so a sudden change can be something else. Ours: call your eye doctor right away, or go to an emergency room the same day (see retinal detachment).
- Thinking of starting vitamin A? NEI says to talk with your doctor first: taking too much vitamin A can cause liver problems.
- It is all too much, or you have thoughts of suicide? Call or text 988, any hour, free (ours).
More help
- The eyes on this site: Low vision · Retinal detachment · Cataracts · Refractive errors · Eyes and sight: find the right page.
- Also: Hearing loss · Glasses and eye exams you can afford · Disability benefits · Caring for someone.
- For you: Get ready for your appointment · Low-cost health care. In an emergency: Help right now (988, 911). All our free tools.
Your eyes or your sight, and not sure this is the right page? The pages on this site for a hurt or pink eye, glaucoma, cataracts, diabetes and the eyes, macular degeneration, a detached retina, dry eye, fading sight and eye care you can afford, on one list.
Other guides on this site that go with this page
Free to read. We chose these ourselves; no professional did. Each guide was written with AI and has not been reviewed by a professional. They are general information, not advice.
- Usher syndrome: hearing loss and fading sight together, the 3 types, the tests, and the help that works best early: hearing loss and retinitis pigmentosa together: the 3 types, the hearing, balance and eye tests, and the help for sight and for hearing.
This page and its wording were written with AI (Claude) for Scarlet Beast (our AI policy). No doctor or nurse has reviewed it. The facts were read on October 22, 2026 on the National Eye Institute’s (NIH) page Retinitis Pigmentosa, last updated August 6, 2025. Ours: the 911 and 988 lines; the same day for a sudden change in sight; never starting vitamin A or a supplement on your own; asking about driving at night; more light at home at night; asking about low vision services early; the questions to ask; the card; the links to our other pages; and the order of the steps. What we left out: the research section, the research news and clinical trials. This page gives no amount of any vitamin and names no product: ask your eye doctor. Nothing you tick or type here is saved or sent.