100,000 people have retinitis pigmentosa which can cause retinal deterioration and blindness in the US (Research to Prevent Blindness, NISE, NSF) ... see also overview of Retinitis Pigmentosa.
approx 1 in 2,719 or 0.04% or 100,000 people in USA [Source statistic for calcuation: "100,000 people have retinitis pigmentosa which can cause retinal deterioration and blindness in the US (Research to Prevent Blindness, NISE, NSF)" -- see also general information about data sources]
Retinitis Pigmentosa is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Retinitis Pigmentosa, or a subtype of Retinitis Pigmentosa, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Ophanet, who are a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when if affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Retinitis Pigmentosa as a "rare disease". More information about Retinitis Pigmentosa is available from Orphanet
16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the prevalence and/or incidence of Retinitis Pigmentosa.
Retinitis pigmentosa can be classified according to its inheritance pattern: autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, and X-linked. Typically, in all forms of retinitis pigmentosa, the retinal rods slowly deteriorate. Clumps of pigment resembling bone corpuscles aggregate in the peripheral region of the retina and later involve the macular and peripheral areas. Visual symptoms usually appear between ages 10 and 30, though some children may become blind within the first year of life.
Retinitis pigmentosa affects 1 of every 4,000 people in the United States.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
The term 'prevalence' of Retinitis Pigmentosa usually refers to the estimated population of people who are managing Retinitis Pigmentosa at any given time. The term 'incidence' of Retinitis Pigmentosa refers to the annual diagnosis rate, or the number of new cases of Retinitis Pigmentosa diagnosed each year. Hence, these two statistics types can differ: a short-lived disease like flu can have high annual incidence but low prevalence, but a life-long disease like diabetes has a low annual incidence but high prevalence. For more information see about prevalence and incidence statistics.
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