Retinitis pigmentosa is the most frequent reason for severe visual handicap among young people in Scandinavia today. At the Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Lund clinical research regarding retinal degeneration has been pursued since 1985. The electrophysiological department has been growing and continuously new equipment has been used for examination of these patients.

Project

1. To further develop and introduce new electrophysiological techniques (full-field ERG, mfERG and mfVEP) for investigation of the pathophysiology and visual function in the retina and the optic pathway.

2. To identifying families suitable for up-coming treatment trials in new or previous known genotype and phenotype from the Swedish RP registry (including 3500 patients)

3. To investigate alteration of the retinal function in human and animal model measured by ERG during treatment with different types of drugs.

New electrophysiologic technique and molecular genetics has recently led to radical improvement, both in diagnostics and for the understanding of the etiology and pathophysiology of hereditary retinal disorders. If a treatment was possible for these disorders, it would be of great value for each patient but also for the community

To treat families with visual impairment caused by inherent retinal disorders with gene therapy including vitreous surgery.

       To further develop and introduce new electrophysiological techniques (ff-ERG, mf-ERG and mf-VEP) for the investigation of pathophysiology and visual function in the retina and optic pathway of patients. These techniques will be crucial for the evaluation of treatment such as gene therapy, and for assessing retinal and visual restoration.  

       To continue identifying families with inherent retinal disorders and verifying new genes suitable for future clinical trials in new and previously known genotypes and phenotypes from the Swedish Retinitis Pigmentosa Register. 

.      To introduce clinical gene therapy at our research facility at the University Hospital in Lund.