A study has identified retinitis pigmentosa as the most common cause of visual impairment and blindness in the Kingdom.

Ebsar Society for the Rehabilitation of the Visually Impaired conducted the study on 105 patients with eyesight weakness during the period between Nov. 2012 and Oct. 2013.

“The study found that 30 percent of visual impairment and blindness cases were caused by genetic factors warranting the need for intensive awareness campaigns to change the Saudi social custom of marriage between relatives,” the report stated.

The study also found that retinopathy caused by diabetes was the next source of blindness and other vision problems among the sample patients.

The study estimated that 14 percent of patients with visual problems were diagnosed with diabetes.

The third cause for eyesight weakness among the cases registered at the society was atrophy of the optic nerve.

The study warned against the alarming rate of diabetes in the Kingdom, which has reached 30 percent and cautioned that the high rate of diabetes increases the chances of vision impairment and total loss of vision.

Mohammed Bello, secretary general of the society, told Arab News that the society faces major challenges in accommodating the large number of patients as there are only two clinics in the Kingdom that offer services to such patients.

Ebsar has been cooperating with optic specialists at King Abdulaziz University, who volunteered their services and sponsored 17 cases registered with the organization.

The society also recently signed an agreement with Dr. Muhammad Sarwarkhan, consultant and specialist in visual impairment, who offered his services to the society’s waitlisted patients. Under the agreement 69 patients were examined.

Ebsar has also decided to open its clinic on Saturdays to cope with the increasing influx of patients.