TEN YEAR STUDY IN PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA AND TREATED WITH REPEATED CYCLES OF OZONE THERAPY

. M. Copello, S. Menéndez1, I. Horrach, J. Betancourt. National Reference Center of Retinitis Pigmentosa. Salvador Allende University Hospital, Cuba. 1Ozone Research Center, Cuba.

Retinitis Pigmentosa is an hereditary disease of the retina which produces night blindness, peripheral visual field loss and narrowing of the central vision, which degenerates, after several years, in total blindness. This disease affects approximately 0.5 % of the world population and it is estimated that in Cuba suffer this disease, 3.1 per 10,000 habitants, with a great incidence in the central and west region of the country. In Cuba, it has been using ozone therapy like part of the treatment of Retinitis Pigmentosa, since November 1986, in "Salvador Allende" University Hospital. A study of the clinical evolution of 20 patients that have been treated (between 5 and 10 years) with repetitive cycles of ozone therapy was performed. No other therapy was associated. The ways of ozone application was autohemotherapy or rectal insufflation. A complete ophthalmologic examination was performed during this period. Snellen visual acuity, considering significant changes more than 2 lines and Goldmann kinetic visual field (V-4e target), considering significant changes increase in more than 10 grades and/or appearance of peripheric windows, were analyzed. The best results were achieved when ozone treatment is repeated, at least, twice a year, along all these years, with improvement of 70 % in the visual field and 42 % in the visual acuity. The rest of the patients maintained their visual field or visual acuity the same as the initial value, without worsen the disease. Any side effect was observed. The satisfactory results encourage to recommend its use in patients affected by Retinitis Pigmentosa.