This is a difficult question. Many people with RP do drive legally, and do not have problems. Legal vision requirements for a driver's license vary widely from state to state. It would be best to discuss your visual limitations and their effect on driving with your eye care professional. Driving is a symbol of independence and people with progressive vision loss may be unwilling to admit that their vision impairment may affect safe driving.

Mobility independence is enhanced by living in or near a metropolitan area where public transportation is readily available. Many aids, services, and techniques are available to assist people with RP to conduct the daily business of living like cooking, cleaning, reading the mail, etc. Some of these will be described later in this booklet.

There are many, with the possibilities growing all the time. Audio description is available for many videos and theater productions, providing a non-intrusive description of scenery, costumes, facial expressions, and other fine points that a visually impaired person may not detect. Books on tape and in braille, available from the Library of Congress and many other sources, make literature easily accessible to people with visual impairments.

Yes, if they meet the requirements of the local department of motor vehicles. These requirements usually consist of a period of complete freedom from seizures (anything from three months to a year, depending on the state) and may include a letter from a treating physician. People who have seizures despite medication will not be licensed and therefore cannot drive legally.

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.

Tom Tarrant: "I don't ever remember seeing in the dark. I just don't know what that's like. I remember Halloween when I was a little boy, walking into poles." RP symptoms can vary. In a person with classic or typical RP, night vision and peripheral (or side) vision will be affected initially. Night blindness is one of the earliest and most frequent symptoms of RP, and it refers to difficulty seeing not only at night but also in dimly lit places, such as restaurants and movie theaters.

quot;I was diagnosed at 14 years old and before that I always remember not being able to see at night and being 'klutzy'," remembers Rob Lee. "I was bad at soccer and basketball and didn't know why. I figured that I saw the way everyone else did, but just wasn't as good as others. Being diagnosed with RP was somewhat of a relief to me because it gave me a reason why I couldn't do certain things and why I was a little different from my friends and brothers.

It is not unusual for an individual with RP to develop a cataract, which is a clouding of the lens of the eye. Cataracts that significantly interfere with vision can be surgically removed. While cataract surgery cannot improve vision loss due to retinal degeneration, it can lessen the vision loss caused by the cataract.

Generally, people who have epilepsy but who have been seizure-free for 12 months or more should be able to drive. Some states issue restrictive licenses that limit the times of day and distance that people with epilepsy may legally drive.

Only named/nominated drivers whose name appears on the Rental Agreement may drive. Each driver must be listed on the Rental Agreement and must present their drivers license at time of collection. Additional driver/hirer fee of $10 per driver will apply. Age surcharges may also apply. Maximum 4 drivers per rental.

quot;Every year I lose a little bit of vision, and every year I do some adjusting," notes Tom Tarrant, who describes himself as "still having a lot of useable vision," although he is legally blind. While gradual vision loss is the common feature of almost all forms of RP, there is no predictable rate of loss, even for people in the same family. Usually the progression is quite slow. Vision sometimes appears to remain stable between annual eye examinations.

Some women have reported that their RP has progressed more rapidly during pregnancy than it ever had previously. However, because RP is rare, this issue is difficult to study in a systematic way. If you are pregnant, or thinking of becoming pregnant, you should make sure that your obstetrician/gynecologist is aware of your eye problems, and that your eye care professional knows of your pregnancy.

Blindness, to most people, means a complete loss of sight. As they grow older, some people with RP do become blind in this sense. However, many will retain a small amount of vision such as light perception. A majority of people with RP are legally blind by the age of 40. People who are legally blind usually maintain a good deal of functional vision supplemented by adaptive technology.

People with RP and other retinal degenerative diseases continue to lead productive lives and pursue their career goals. By determining appropriate equipment, training, and other job modifications in a chosen field, potential concerns and problems can be identified and possibly postponed. Vocational counseling, offered through educational institutions or state or local agencies, can be very helpful when planning or pursuing a career.

RP is sometimes associated with syndromes that also affect other parts of the body. Usher syndrome causes hearing loss and vision loss from RP. Although Bardet-Biedl syndrome can involve many part of the body, the defining features of this syndrome are extra fingers and/or toes (which are present at birth) and obesity. Other diseases have a retinal degeneration that is similar to RP.

If you think you're being snubbed, double-check the FAQ and Tips & Tricks to see if you overlooked something. Be aware that the other players have probably been working on a story long before you joined. Sometimes they welcome fresh meat, sometimes they're afraid a Newbie will ruin everything. Try e-mailing the person you want to interact with. Ask them what they are writing about and what you should know, then try writing a RP that fits into their story.

The administrators here at FFR have the responsibility of handing out RP. Show initiative, help us out here at the forums, produce a good piece of artwork or start an inventive thread, and you may receive some RP as a reward. Please don't beg for RP, if you do that, chances are people won't give you any. Contribute to the boards, produce a great piece of artwork for the Graphical Asylum/Fanart forums and help people out, and someone is sure to donate some RP in your favor.

Most states require a person to be seizure-free for a specific amount of time before obtaining a regular driver's license. New Jersey law calls for a one-year, seizure-free period: Applications to drive are reviewed by a special unit within the Division of Motor Vehicles. Additionally, New Jersey has a mandatory physician reporting requirement under which doctors must inform the state when they treat people over 16 years of age who have epilepsy.

Yes, subject to the driver(s) meeting the rental companies age and licence requirements. Additional drivers are usually added locally and a small additional charge may be payable.

Generally, anyone who has permission to drive your vehicle is covered. All people who regularly use your car should be listed on your policy. You should check with your agent for specific details.

The answer is yes. We must warn you though that there is no way of verifying that you were not the person driving the vehicle. This means that you become responsible for everything that the unit records. If another person was driving the car you are still responsible for any consequences that arise if the person was drinking. <Top

We are very cognizant that pain control is very important for the patient's well being. Medications are provided to control the level of pain. The typical patient, however, requires only Tylenol and occasional Tylenol with Codeine for control of pain.