Retinitis Pigmentosa Treatment in India

David Mehta, a 28-year-old software engineer...

David Mehta, a 28-year-old software engineer from Bangalore, had always been passionate about photography and stargazing. His family had a vague history of 'night blindness,' but no formal diagnosis. Over the past five years, David noticed he was increasingly clumsy in dim light, struggling to navigate familiar streets after dusk and bumping into furniture at home. His peripheral vision seemed to be closing in, like looking through a tunnel. An ophthalmologist confirmed his fears: Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). The doctor recommended genetic testing to identify his specific mutation, followed by enrollment in a clinical trial for a newly approved gene therapy called voretigene neparvovec (Luxturna), as David's mutation was in the RPE65 gene. The treatment experience involved a subretinal injection in each eye, performed a few weeks apart under general anesthesia. The procedures were precise and anxiety-inducing but painless. Recovery required him to keep his head in a specific position for days and use steroid eye drops to control inflammation. Over the following months, David's night vision and peripheral light perception improved remarkably. While not a cure, the treatment halted the progression. Emotionally, he journeyed from a deep fear of losing his career and hobbies to a cautious, profound gratitude. He regained the ability to take evening walks and see stars again, feeling a renewed sense of control and hope for the future.