My mother was diagnosed with RP when she was 48. At the time I was 24 serving in the Air Force in the Far East and she contacted me, suggesting I was checked. A quick check with a flashlight was clear that I didn't have it' 5 years later, after leaving the Air Force, I noticed I walked in to things a lot. I went to the Oculist who diagnosed RP and small cataracts. He sent me to Toronto General for tests. The tests proved conclusive. The Oculist told me I shouldn't be legally driving as I had less than 120 degrees vision but it wasn't much less. I was working for a company as Field Service Manager, responsible for installation and maintenance of Hospital X-Ray equipment and CAT Scanners over 1/2 of Ontario. So I was constantly driving. The Oculist died and I had to find a new doctor. After several months of avoiding doctors in case it would mean losing my license I found an opthamologist. My cataracts were causing me so much problem I had no choice. In 1997 I had driven to Florida on vacation (from Toronto) and the sunlight was painful because of the cataracts. I was referred to a younger Opthalmologist who did regular lens implants. He performed one in October 97 and the second in January 98. He noted I had RP and arranged a dreaded field test in Nov 97. I had 4 deg. of peripheral vision in my left eye, and 2 deg. in my right. He told me that he would let the MOT know and they would jerk my license (which they did two months later). My peripheral eyesight had deteriorated very rapidly in the last 6 months of 97 (after returning from Florida). I had all but stopped driving, as I didn't feel safe. The doctor said I wasn't considered legally blind because my eye sight had to be worse than 20/200 OR less than 20 deg. peripheral vision AND worse than 20/70. (I had 20/30 both eyes). I told him he was wrong and eventually he checked with the CNIB, who told him I was legally blind. I was now working for another company as Systems Engineer, designing remote (solar) power systems. We traveled all across Canada and sometimes overseas. To the top of mountains in helicopters and off road driving. The company was concerned about my lack of sight, especially as I had to travel and work around heavy equipment, and in the company warehouse. In August 1998 I was put on disability to (a) Eliminate a liability to the company and (b) Enjoy life whilst I had some usable vision. My mother went blind at 75 years old. My aunt and cousin also have RP as did my late uncle. Am I mad, bitter, angry. NO I am not, I enjoy the fact that I have my mobility. There are many things I can't do but there is an awful lot I can. I am not terminally ill. It may be many years before I lose all my sight (heck I could die first). I focus on what I can do today and let tomorrow take care of itself. As a Christian I don't believe God screws up. He will meet my needs in a physical way just as he has spiritually. I get frustrated at times but as a general rule I believe God is giving me contentment in this trial'