This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

A Hypothesis

Eliot L. Berson, MD

Arch Ophthalmol. 1971;85(5):521-529.

Abstract
Evidence is consolidated to support the hypothesis that long periods of almost complete light exclusion will have therapeutic benefit for patients with early stages of hereditary retinitis pigmentosa. The hypothesis is based on observations on effects of light on photoreceptors of normal rats and on photoreceptors of rats with either vitamin A deficiency or hereditary retinal dystrophy, on electrophysiological studies of patients with early retinitis pigmentosa, and on measurements of retinal oxygen utilization in humans and animals with retinal degenerations. Almost complete light exclusion can be best accomplished with an opaque flush-fitting scleral contact lens. If this hypothesis is correct and light exclusion is begun in the earliest stages, it may be possible to double the patient's visual lifetime by keeping one retina in reserve in darkness while the other retina functions but degenerates in light.

Author Affiliations
Boston

From the Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston.

Footnotes
Submitted for publication Jan 19, 1971.

Reprint requests to Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, 243 Charles St, Boston 02114 (Dr. Berson).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

The Status of Cones in the Rhodopsin Mutant P23H-3 Retina: Light-Regulated Damage and Repair in Parallel with Rods
Chrysostomou et al.
IOVS 2008;49:1116-1125.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Dark Rearing Rescues P23H Rhodopsin-Induced Retinal Degeneration in a Transgenic Xenopus laevis Model of Retinitis Pigmentosa: A Chromophore-Dependent Mechanism Characterized by Production of N-Terminally Truncated Mutant Rhodopsin
Tam and Moritz
J. Neurosci. 2007;27:9043-9053.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Light and inherited retinal degeneration
Paskowitz et al.
Br J Ophthalmol 2006;90:1060-1066.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Ocular Findings in Patients With Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa and a Rhodopsin Gene Defect (Pro-23-His)
Berson et al.
Arch Ophthalmol 1991;109:92-101.
ABSTRACT  

A Night Vision Pocketscope for Patients With Retinitis Pigmentosa: Design Considerations
Berson et al.
Arch Ophthalmol 1974;91:495-500.
ABSTRACT  

Advances in Night Vision Technology: A Pocketscope for Patients With Retinitis Pigmentosa
Berson et al.
Arch Ophthalmol 1973;90:427-431.
ABSTRACT  

A Night Vision Device as an Aid for Patients With Retinitis Pigmentosa
Berson et al.
Arch Ophthalmol 1973;90:112-116.
ABSTRACT  

Depression of ERG After Patching
Hamasaki and Flynn
Arch Ophthalmol 1973;89:472-475.
ABSTRACT  

The Retina and Optic Nerve
Tasman
Arch Ophthalmol 1973;89:422-436.
 

Physiological Chemistry of the Eye
Barber
Arch Ophthalmol 1972;87:72-106.