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Some of the symptoms include decreased central vision and decreased peripheral vision. These symptoms may not necessarily mean that you have retinoschisis. However, if you experience one or more of these symptoms, contact your eye doctor for a complete exam.

The electroretinogram (ERG) is used to assess function of the nerve tissue in the retina. The eye is stimulated with light after either dark or light adaptation. Contact lenses, embedded with an electrode to measure electrical impulses created by the functioning retina, are worn by the patient. The reaction of the eye to various light stimuli is recorded and evaluated. This test documents the type of photoreceptor activity and the overall function of the inner and outer layers of the retina, and is a very important tool in diagnosis.

ERGs are easily obtained on adults and children under 24 months of age.  However, ERGs performed on children between the ages of two and five can be difficult and often require general anesthesia. Therefore, we encourage the testing be done before age two or after age five. In general, after age five, nearly all children can have an ERG without any difficulties.

Beginning at age 3-4, all children, even without retinoschisis, should have their vision checked yearly and glasses prescribed as necessary. Children who show schisis of the peripheral retina need more frequent examinations. We feel these examinations should be conducted by a subspecialty trained retina surgeon, since surgery would be required if a retinal detachment were to develop. Follow-up intervals are best determined by the doctor who is following your child.

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors might be beneficial in reducing the cystic spaces observed in X-linked retinoschisis. There is no medical treatment for degenerative retinoschisis; however, vitrectomy surgery is occasionally required for complications related to either type of retinoschisis.

Glasses may improve the overall quality of vision in a patient with retinoschisis who is also near-sighted or farsighted, but will not "repair" the nerve tissue damage from the retinoschisis.

Vitamin A does not appear to help in retinoschisis. Vitamin A may have benefits for other genetic retinal diseases, particularly in cases of retinitis pigmentosa where the retinal nerve cells are slowly dying. However, retinoschisis is quite different from retinitis pigmentosa, since the retinal cells and their connections in retinoschisis are mechanically disrupted but are not thought to be dying.