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.

Genetics may play a role in PMDD. Studies have shown that identical twins are more likely to share the disorder (93%) than non-identical (fraternal) twins (44%), and daughters of mothers with PMDD are more likely to have it themselves. However, no specific genes have been identified to account for PMDD. It is best to simply say that genetics may put a woman at greater risk for developing the disorder.

There is a genetic factor in the development of allergic disease. If one parent has allergic disease, the estimated risk of a child to develop allergies is 48%; the child's estimated risk grows to 70% if both parents have a history of allergies.

Research shows that the risk for developing alcoholism does indeed run in families. The genes a person inherits partially explain this pattern, but lifestyle is also a factor. Currently, researchers are working to discover the actual genes that put people at risk for alcoholism. Your friends, the amount of stress in your life, and how readily available alcohol is also are factors that may increase your risk for alcoholism. But remember: Risk is not destiny.

Research shows that ADHD tends to run in families, so there are likely to be genetic influences. Children who have ADHD usually have at least one close relative who also has ADHD. And at least one–third of all fathers who had ADHD in their youth have children with ADHD. Even more convincing of a possible genetic link is that when one twin of an identical twin pair has the disorder, the other is likely to have it too.

In humans, there are two modes of inheritance: autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive (with at least two, and possibly three different autosomal dominant forms of PKD caused by different genes at different loci). To date, only the autosomal dominant form has been identified in cats. To quote Dr. DiBartola, Professor of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, and Co-Editor of the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine (one of the Dr.

Most cases of PWS are attributed to a spontaneous genetic error that occurs at or near the time of conception for unknown reasons. In a very small percentage of cases (2 percent or less), a genetic mutation that does not affect the parent is passed on to the child, and in these families more than one child may be affected. A PWS-like disorder can also be acquired after birth if the hypothalamic portion of the brain is damaged through injury or surgery.

Most cases of epilepsy are not inherited, although some types have a genetic basis. Most of these types are easily controlled with medication. Epilepsy syndromes with a genetic basis: Primary Generalized Epilepsies, Benign Rolandic Epilepsy, Nocturnal Frontal Lobe Epilepsy, Familial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, Benign Familial Neonatal Seizures and Benign Familial Infantile Spasms.

Only 3 to 5% of cases are inherited; the rest arise as an accident of chromosome arrangement during meiosis. For details, see my essay on the origin of trisomy 21 or Dr. Paul Benke's essay on the types of DS, and the risk and recurrence risk of DS. No. Down syndrome occurs at conception, so nothing in the pregnancy can cause Down syndrome to occur. As for prior to conception, the research all shows that drug or alcohol use does not increase the risk of having a child with DS.

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.

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.

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.

Lupus is not inherited, but it is believed that the tendency to develop lupus is inherited. However, although a person may have the genetic markers for lupus, he/she will not get lupus unless it is triggered by something. Some people, who have the genetic markers, will never develop lupus.

Retinal degenerations affect men and women of all ages, races, cultures, and ethnic backgrounds. The broad range of retinal degenerative diseases affects at least six million Americans. Approximately 100,000 people in the United States are affected by retinitis pigmentosa or Usher syndrome, which is a variation of RP that also impairs hearing.