Retinitis Pigmentosa Part I

Medical Topic of the Day:  This is going to take two posts to explain.  The eye is a complicated organ.  A friend of mine wants to know about Retinitis Pigmentosa but first I need to discuss some eye anatomy so that the majority of my readers can understand it because I am not sure I completely understand this.

Off The Top of My Head: It definitely sounds cool.  I imagine it has to do with your eyeball and the pigment contained therein.  I don't think your retina has any pigment though.  Your iris does.  I dunno, let's see what it is.

My Research Today:  Retinitis Pigmentosa is part of a larger group of genetic and protein disorders that are inherited.  So let's clear something up first.  There is pigment in your retina, at least a layer of it.  It is called the retinal pigment epithelium and it is a cell layer just outside the area of your retina that is the primary visual interface for your brain.  Think of it as the layer on the inside of the front most part of your eye.  It is pigmented to absorb excess light from getting to your retina.

The black line on the inside of the front of your eyeball there is your retinal pigment epithelium.  Excess incoming light bounces off of your retina and the majority of it is absorbed by the pigment epithelium so it does not overwhelm your retina with light.

The RPE does much more than just this.  It also supplies omega-3 fatty acid and glucose to your eyeball.  Basically it acts as a generator of enegry and basic eyeball building blocks to help regenerate the inside of your eye.  It helps maintain pH and also has a self-contained mini immune system to combat disease and thwart counter productive interactions within your eye.

Yeah, no you can't dig an eyeball out with a pen.  They deflate.

The RPE layer is part of a greater system which maintains homeostasis within your eye.  Homeostasis is a system that regulates internal environment to maintain a stable, consistent condition of properties.  It is very involved and complicated.  I am not sure that I fully understand all that this cellular layer does.

In albinos this layer contains no pigment which make their eyes exceptionally sensitive to light.  You can see how just a mild issue with this cellular layer could cause serious problems considering all it does.

Tomorrow we will pick up this discussion and discuss Retinitis Pigmentosa in detail.

Quest To 180:
Does laundry count?  Cause it should.

The MAN:
Nobody wants to hang?  *Sad face*