Cunab Medical Advances: Eyes that see ...

Cuba's National Retinitis Pigmentosa Program has 17 years of experience, not only treating patients with this vision illness, but also perfecting a system of prevention for those at risk of suffering from it.

Retinitis Pigmentosa, without proper care, leads inevitably to blindness. It is that cruel. The late eminent Cuban Professor Orfilio Peláez made an essential contribution, not only for Cuba but for the entire world, for the treatment of this visual illness called revitalizing surgery.

Its goal is to improve the function and nutrition of the retina's photo-receptive cells and stop the disease.Peláez was still a student when a close friend of his, with problems of night vision, was diagnosed with this illness. The ophthalmologist told him bluntly: "The disease you are suffering from will leave you blind. Get a dog or a helper." His friend committed suicide and Peláez swore to dedicate his life to ophthalmology and fight the terrible disease.

National Program

"The National Program for the Treatment of Patients with Retinitis Pigmentosa began in 1989", says Dr. Maritza Herrera, assistant director of the program. Multidisciplinary groups and scientists were trained and many resources in materials and equipment were dedicated to this humane task. Today the work is continued at the different centres of the National Retinitis Pigmentosa Network. This national program, run for the last five years by Dr. Obel García, is found in all the provinces of the country, including the Isle of Youth. Its specialized attention includes inquiries, diagnosis and treatment of this visual illness and the development of clinical, basic and epidemiological research of retina dystrophies...