Retinitis
Retinitis is inflammation of the retina in the eye, which can permanently damage the retina and lead to blindness. The retina is the eye's "sensing" tissue. Retinitis may be caused by a number of different infectious agents. Its most common form, called retinitis pigmentosa, has a prevalence of one in every 2,500–7,000 people. This condition is one of the leading causes that leads to blindness in patients in the age range of 20–60 years old.
Retinitis may be caused by several infectious agents, including toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus and candida. Cytomegalovirus retinitis is an important cause of blindness in AIDS patients. Candida spreading to the retina from the bloodstream usually results in the production of several retinal abscesses.
Symptoms and signs
The first symptom of this disease is usually a slow loss of vision, especially that of night vision, making it harder to drive in the dark. Later signs include loss of peripheral vision, leading to tunnel vision. In some cases, symptoms are experienced in only one of the eyes. Experiencing floaters, flashes, blurred vision and loss of side vision in just one eye may be an early indication of onset of retinitis.Diagnosis
Although there has been extensive research in the past decades on the disease, there is still no evidence-based therapies for this condition which is often diagnosed at an early age, usually in teenagers or young adults.To make a specific diagnosis, intraocular fluid samples may be taken and sent for analysis. In some cases, blood or cerebrospinal fluid are also tested. Imaging may be done to help make the diagnosis.