Synonyms

• Congenital Absence of the Rods and Cones
• Congenital Retinal Blindness
• Congenital Retinitis Pigmentosa
• LCA
• Leber's Amaurosis
• Leber's Congenital Tapetoretinal Degeneration
• Leber's Congenital Tapetoretinal Dysplasia

Disorder Subdivisions

• None

General Discussion

Leber's Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) is a rare genetic eye disorder. Affected infants are often blind at birth or loss their sight within the first few of years of life. Other symptoms may include crossed eyes (strabismus); rapid, involuntary eye movements (nystagmus); unusual sensitivity to light (photophobia); clouding of the lenses of the eyes (cataracts); and/or abnormal protrusion of the front (anterior), clear portion of the eye through which light passes (cornea) (keratoconus). In addition, some infants may exhibit hearing loss, mental retardation, and/or a delay in the acquisition of skills that require the coordination of mental and muscular activity (psychomotor retardation). Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis is inherited as an autosomal recessive genetic trait.

Resources

National Association for Visually Handicapped
22 West 21st Street
New York, NY 10010
USA
Tel: 2128893141
Fax: 2127272931
Email: staff@navh.org
Internet: http://www.navh.org

Foundation Fighting Blindness, Inc.
11435 Cronhill Drive
Owings Mills, MD 21117-2220
Tel: (410)568-0150
Fax: (410)363-2393
Tel: (800)683-5555
TDD: (800)683-5551
Email: info@blindness.org
Internet: http://www.fightblindness.org

Retinitis Pigmentosa International
P.O. Box 900
Woodland Hills, CA 91365
Tel: (818)992-0500
Fax: (818)992-3265
Tel: (800)344-4877
Email: info@international.org
Internet: http://www.rpinternational.org

National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments (NAPVI)
P.O. Box 317
Watertown, MA 02472
Tel: (617)972-7441
Fax: (617)972-7444
Tel: (800)562-6265
Email: napvi@perkins.org
Internet: http://www.napvi.org

American Council of the Blind, Inc.
1155 15th Street
Suite 1004
Washington, DC 20005
Tel: (202)467-5081
Fax: (202)467-5085
Tel: (800)424-8666
Internet: http://www.acb.org

American Foundation for the Blind
11 Penn Plaza
Suite 300
New York, NY 10001
Tel: (212)502-7600
Fax: (212)502-7777
Tel: (800)232-5463
TDD: (212)502-7662
Email: afbinfo@afb.org
Internet: http://www.afb.org

Blind Children's Fund
311 W. Broadway
Suite 1
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858
Tel: (989)779-9966
Fax: (989)779-0015
Email: bcf@blindchildrensfund.org
Internet: http://www.blindchildrensfund.org

Lewis, Richard A. M.D.,M.S.
Baylor College of Medicine
Cullen Eye Institute
NC-206 1 Baylor Plaza
Houston, TX 77030
Tel: (713)798-3030

Musarella, Maria A., M.D., F.R.C.S.
Hospital for Sick Children
Research Institute
555 University Ave
Toronto
Ontario, M5G 1X8
Canada
Tel: 4165987506

NIH/National Eye Institute
Building 31 Rm 6A32
31 Center Dr MSC 2510
Bethesda, MD 20892-2510
United States
Tel: 3014965248
Fax: 3014021065
Email: 2020@nei.nih.gov
Internet: http://www.nei.nih.gov/

MUMS (Mothers United for Moral Support, Inc) National Parent-to-Parent Network
150 Custer Court
Green Bay, WI 54301-1243
USA
Tel: 9203365333
Fax: 9203390995
Tel: 8773365333
Email: mums@netnet.net
Internet: http://www.netnet.net/mums/

Foundation Fighting Blindness (Canada)
60 St. Clair Ave East
Suite 703
Toronto, Ontario, M4T 1N5
Canada
Tel: 416-360-4200
Fax: 416-360-0060
Tel: 800-461-3331
Email: info@ffb.ca
Internet: http://www.ffb.ca

Retina International
Ausstellungsstrasse 36
CH-8005
Zürich,
Switzerland
Tel: (0)44 444 10 77
Fax: (0)44 444 10 70
Email: c.fasser@e-link.ch
Internet: http://www.retina-international.org

Perkins School for the Blind
175 North Beacon St.
Watertown, MA 02472
Tel: (617)924-3434
Fax: (617)926-2027
Email: Info@Perkins.org
Internet: http://www.Perkins.org

For a Complete Report

This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html

The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.

It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report.

This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.

For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email orphan@rarediseases.org

Last Updated:  4/7/2008
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