Treatment for Achromatopsia


There are a number of ways in which opticians can help people who have Achromatopsia. The most recent treatment is the use of ‘Red central contact lenses’. Just like normal contact lenses, they are placed onto the front of the eye. However, unlike normal contact lenses, they have a red circle in the centre, that is arranged to be just in front of your pupil. This red colour helps to prevent a lot of the bright light from getting into your eye, helping you to see better during the daylight. This will not make your vision look red as your cones are not working. Many people who suffer from incomplete achromatopsia report that it helps them to see the colour red much clearer.

Another way to help you if you suffer from achromatism is the use of visual aids to help decrease the brightness of the light that you can see. This can be achieved with the use of special blinds or sunglasses. Some people also find that large print books can help them to read better than before.

It is hoped that in the next 10 to 20 years a helpful treatment may be found, because as of yet there is no medical or surgical intervention that has been found. The most exciting avenue of research is genetics, where scientists are trying to swap the defective photoreceptor gene for a complete one. This would enable affected individuals to see fully again.

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