Defects in the USH2A gene have been previously reported to account for 12–25% of all retinitis pigmentosa cases, dominant, recessive or X-linked; syndromic or nonsyndromic.5 McGee et al5 reported that among 80 patients with nonsyndromic recessive retinitis pigmentosa, 23% had one or two likely disease-causing variants in USH2A. This result was consistent with our findings: 24.7% (46/186) of patients with recessive retinal degeneration and no reported hearing loss in childhood harboured one or two likely disease-causing changes. The gene discussed is USH2A; the disease is retinal degeneration.