Retinitis Pigmentosa

Retinitis pigmentosa is an eye disease in which there is damage to the retina. The retina is the layer of tissue at the back of the inner eye that converts light images to nerve signals and sends them to the brain.

Causes

Retinitis Pigmentosa can run in families. The disorder can be caused by a number of genetic defects.
The cells controlling night vision (rods) are most likely to be affected. However, in some cases, retinal cone cells are damaged the most. The main sign of the disease is the presence of dark deposits in the retina.
The main risk factor is a family history of retinitis pigmentosa. It is an uncommon condition affecting about 1 in 4,000 people in the United States.

Symptoms

Symptoms often first appear in childhood, but severe vision problems do not usually develop until early adulthood.

Decreased vision at night or in low light
Loss of side (peripheral) vision, causing “tunnel vision”
Loss of central vision (in advanced cases)

Conventional treatments:

There is no effective treatment for this condition. Wearing sunglasses to protect the retina from ultraviolet light may help preserve vision.

Some studies have suggested that treatment with antioxidants (such as high doses of vitamin A palmitate) may slow the disease. However, taking high doses of vitamin A can cause serious liver problems. The benefit of treatment has to be weighed against risks to the liver.
Several clinical trials are in progress to investigate new treatments for retinitis pigmentosa, including the omega-3 fatty acid, DHA.

Outlook (Prognosis)

The disorder will continue to progress, although slowly. Complete blindness is uncommon.

Possible Complications

Peripheral and central loss of vision will eventually occur.
Patients with retinitis pigmentosa often develop cataracts at an early age, or swelling of the retina (macular edema). Cataracts can be removed if they contribute to vision loss.

Our Alternative medicine stem cell IMC approach:

At IMC we designed a proprietary method that involves the injection of cells behind the eye (retro bulbar). With this method along with other techniques we are getting very interesting results (see Table).

First Steps

At integra Medical Center, our main concern is that you are convinced that our Stem Cell Therapy is the best option to treat your condition. That is why, before scheduling your appointment, we will need you to complete the following steps:

Fill-out the Patient History Form
Read the documentation that we have on our website or the files we send to your e-mail.
Send the Patient History Form back to us.
Schedule your complimentary call with Dr. Gonzalez.

Talk to Dr. Gonzalez

We want you to get all your questions answered before deciding on receiving our Stem Cell Therapy. That's why we want you to be well documented and write down your questions before the call. Also, we recommend researching other providers and clinics so you know that your are going to get the best treatment at the most affordable price.
At this time the doctor will let you know the exact cost of the therapy based on your condition and information you provided in the Patient History Form.

Scheduling your Appointment

Once you decide IMC's Stem Cell Therapy is the best treatment for your condition, your Patient Advocate will schedule a tentative date for your treatment. Appointment dates will become final when the initial deposit is received, which is usually 30% of the full treatment cost. The remaining balance can be transferred no later than 2 days before your appointment date.

Travel Arrangements

Your Patient Advocate will be there to assist you with any questions you may have regarding air travel, lodging, ground transportation and even tourist attractions near the clinic. Usually, patients choose to stay in one of the Rio Grande Valley's major cities, such as McAllen, Weslaco or Donna.
Depending on the treatment package that you choose, your stay and ground transportation may be included with the cost of therapy, so all you have to worry about is air transportation. Be sure to ask your Patient Advocate what's included in your package.

IMC's Stem Cell Therapy Protocol

This method is the result of many years of experience. It has been very effective in making a powerful impact on the conditions we work on at Integra Medical Center. The steps of the protocol are as follows:

Initial medical consultation and evaluation by Dr. Gonzalez.

Electro Interstitial Scan (when applicable).

Stem cell implants.

Stem cell injections.

Low-level laser procedure.

Final evaluation.

The whole process takes about 2 hours to complete and after the final evaluation the patient is released and can return to their hotel. Some patients even return to their homes on that same day and back to work the very next day!