{"id":2672,"date":"2024-11-20T12:49:52","date_gmt":"2024-11-20T17:49:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.warbyparker.com\/learn\/?p=2672"},"modified":"2026-04-02T03:12:41","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T07:12:41","slug":"rare-eye-diseases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.warbyparker.com\/learn\/rare-eye-diseases","title":{"rendered":"7 Rare Eye Diseases"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Although there are many eye diseases<\/a> you may have heard of before (like glaucoma<\/a> or macular degeneration<\/a>, for instance), there are actually hundreds upon hundreds of eye conditions that are far more rare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article will give an overview of some of these rare conditions of the eye and their symptoms. But, of course, this list is nowhere near exhaustive!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

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Worried about your eyes?<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t

Get your eyes tested by an expert optometrist<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBook an exam <\/svg>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n
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Retinitis Pigmentosa<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The term \u201cretinitis pigmentosa\u201d is actually a term for a group of rare genetic eye diseases that affect the retina. Retinitis pigmentosa causes the retina\u2019s cells to break down over time, leading to progressive vision loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symptoms may start with poor night vision, loss of peripheral vision<\/a> (also called tunnel vision), light sensitivity<\/a>, or problems with seeing colors. Eventually, the majority of people with retinitis pigmentosa lose most of their sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Retinoblastoma<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Retinoblastoma is a form of eye cancer that most commonly occurs in young children (under the age of five), but it can sometimes affect older people. When this rare eye disease is caught early, treatment can help safeguard vision and prevent the cancer from spreading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a light shines into an eye with retinoblastoma, the pupil appears white. Other signs may include poor vision, crossed eyes, watery eyes, and eye pain<\/a>, redness<\/a>, or swelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Optic Neuritis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The optic nerve is the nerve at the back of your eye that carries light signals to the brain\u2014it\u2019s what allows you to see. Optic neuritis occurs when the optic nerve is swollen in one or both eyes. It\u2019s sometimes associated with inflammatory or viral conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, mumps, or measles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symptoms can include blurry vision, dim vision (low light perception), colors appearing faded, or eye pain. Many (but not all) people with optic neuritis need treatment, which can improve vision and\/or stop symptoms from worsening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coloboma<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Coloboma is a rare eye condition that is present at birth. With this condition, problems during development result in missing tissue from one or both eyes\u2014this tissue may be part of the eyelid or part of the eyeball itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symptoms depend on where the coloboma is located. For instance, with an eyelid coloboma, a piece of the eyelid is missing. With a uveal coloboma (The uvea is the layer of the eye containing the iris.), missing tissue in the iris can give the pupil a distinctive keyhole or cat-eye appearance. Some colobomas might impact vision, but others may not cause symptoms at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stargardt Disease<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This inherited, rare eye disease causes clumps of fatty material to build up on the macula (part of the retina). For someone with this disease, the gene responsible for making proteins that clean up this fatty material doesn\u2019t work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stargardt disease leads to a progressive loss of central vision and sometimes peripheral vision in both eyes. Symptoms can include spots in the central field of vision, sensitivity to light, trouble with night vision, or problems with seeing colors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corneal Dystrophies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are many types of corneal dystrophies. They\u2019re all rare diseases of the eye that involve the accumulation of abnormal material in the cornea (the clear outer layer of the eye). They tend to run in families and progress with age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some (of the many) types of corneal dystrophies include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n