Birdshot chorioretinopathy is known by many other names, including: birdshot retinochoroidopathy, birdshot retinochoroiditis, birdshot retinopathy, or simply birdshot. It’s a rare disease that affects the back of the eye, and it can be hard to diagnose, so you might live with symptoms for a while before getting a clear diagnosis.
Early symptoms include floaters and blurred vision. As it progresses, the condition can cause night blindness, sensitivity to light (photophobia), distorted vision, and other vision problems. Although a small percentage of people get better without needing medical treatment, most people need corticosteroids and immunosuppressant medicines to get the inflammation under control. Managing life with the symptoms of birdshot chorioretinopathy can sometimes be challenging, but there is support to help you live independently and carry on doing the things you enjoy.
There’s more information on the symptoms, causes and treatments of birdshot chorioretinopathy on Moorfields’ website.
The best treatment to help those with birdshot chorioretinopathy live independently will vary from person to person, and it can take time to find the right combination for each individual. With birdshot chorioretinopathy, flare-ups and changes to vision are common, so regular adjustments to treatment and support will be needed.
At Guide Dogs, we have a wide range of services, both with and without guide dogs, and a team of experts who can work with you to understand your needs and agree on a plan that’s right for you.
The ways we could help you:
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If you're dealing with vision loss, there are products, support, and services designed to help you be as independent as possible. These include:
Find out how learning new independent living skills can help you manage day-to-day life at home. We also have lots of practical tips on skills for personal care with vision loss.
Having a vision impairment doesn't mean you'll have to stop working, but you may need some extra support. Under the Equality Act, all employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for people with vision impairments. Your needs might change over time: some people experience flare-ups with worse symptoms than remission. You may also have side effects, including cataracts and glaucoma that may need treatment.
It's a personal choice, but telling your employer and colleagues about your condition could help. You can explain your symptoms, treatment side effects, and the type of support you need at work. This could include:
The Access to Work scheme provides grants to employers for equipment or services you need to work. Grants can fund transport to and from work, a support worker to accompany you at work, and more. you at work, and more.
As long as your vision meets the DVLA's minimum eyesight requirements for driving, you can still drive. You can also wear contact lenses or glasses to correct refractive errors if necessary to meet the required standard. You might also want to use tinted lenses if you have trouble with glare. It's best to check with your ophthalmologist that your sight meets this standard, as your vision can change over time with birdshot chorioretinopathy.
It's natural to feel worried about living with a condition that can cause vision loss. Try letting family and friends know how you're feeling, so they can understand and help you. Other people living with eye conditions and vision impairment can be a great source of practical advice and emotional support. Contact us to find out how we can connect you with others. Many people living with rare diseases like birdshot chorioretinopathy find it especially helpful to connect with others who have the same condition. The Birdshot Uveitis Society is a UK organisation dedicated to supporting people with the condition.
You can contact us to find out about services and support tailored to your individual needs.
Guide Dogs is committed to working alongside people with a range of vision impairments, who are registered as either sight-impaired or severely sight-impaired.
Our staff undergo comprehensive training in supporting individuals with vision impairment, to enable us to support you every step of the way through one of our many services, with and without dogs. We foster knowledge of living with vision impairment and create content in collaboration with our Vision Rehabilitation Specialists and Habilitation Specialists.
This content is periodically reviewed as we continue to embrace new knowledge and up-to-date information, in order to improve how we deliver our services and advice.
Please note: Whilst Guide Dogs may be able to suggest various third-party websites which may be able to assist you, those are not endorsed by Guide Dogs. Guide Dogs have no control over those third parties and cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information and support they can provide or the suitability and quality of any products or services they provide.
Birdshot chorioretinopathy is a rare inflammatory disease of the eye, but the exact prevalence isn't known because it's so rare. Based on evidence from a range of studies, the disease is estimated to affect less than 1 in 100,000 people (Source: Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases). The fact it's so rare can make it harder to get a diagnosis, as many eye care professionals won't have seen a patient with the condition before.
The exact cause of birdshot chorioretinopathy isn't known. One of the risk factors is being positive for an inherited antigen, HLA-A29. However, HLA-A29 positivity doesn't mean you'll definitely develop the condition. Scientists are researching to try and discover what the triggers for developing birdshot chorioretinopathy might be.
Birdshot uveitis is another name for birdshot chorioretinopathy. Birdshot chorioretinopathy is a type of posterior uveitis hence it's also known as birdshot uveitis. The name birdshot comes from the distinctive scatter pattern of chorioretinal lesions often seen at the back of the eye.
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