How is RP inherited?
Genetics is a complex subject, and The Foundation Fighting Blindness has prepared another booklet, “The Inheritance of Retinal Degenerations,” to explain this topic in detail. (This can be ordered by using The Foundation’s Publication Order Form.) There are so many different forms of RP, which fall within one of three standard inheritance patterns. Each type of inheritance will create a different pattern of affected and unaffected family members. For example, unaffected parents could have affected children, and affected parents could have both affected and unaffected children. In some families, only males will be affected, while females will carry the trait but not typically exhibit it. There are also isolated cases in which one individual appears to be the only member of a family to have a retinal degeneration. A gene for RP can be either autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, or X-linked. Autosomal means that the gene is attached to one of the 22 pairs of chromosomes that are the s
RP is usually appears sporadically within in a family. It can be passed down from parents to children in 3 ways and the different forms result from the presence of 1 or 2 abnormal genes. If you think you have RP in your family and would like more information, ask your Ophthalmologist who may refer you to a Genetic Counsellor. They will be able to explain more about the causes and patterns of inheritance in your family. There is also a detailed guide called Genetics and RP which is available from Foresight.
