Hello my friend, Rp comes in many forms. The amazing trials out there are close to helping many RP patients. If you have RP and have not yet done a genetic test, it's recommended for your opthalmologist to possibly guide you towards a trial you can participate in.
Stay safe!!

It can be stopped with gene therapy, but they need to make specific ones for each type. Get DNA tested so you know if you qualify for any current or future developed treatments.

You should have a read of $1.

Personally I think the best treatments are going to be a combination of gene therapy and biological treatments. I.e. use gene therapy to code the mutated gene out, then transplant a new retina or alternatively implant a synthetic one. There is in fact already a gene therapy that is on the cusp of commercial availability for RP65.

Thing is there are, if I recall correctly, hundreds of genes that can cause RP, although about six account for the majority of cases. It's going to take a long time to develop therapies for all of those. Then they need to be prepared for the specific patient. Then there's the question of whether the therapy will simply switch the disease off, or whether it will switch it off and cause the cells to restart and repair. If the former, abd on top of that a retina transplant is required, that's another complexity, another treatment that's in its relative infancy.

So while I think effective treatments will exist in the future, I'll consider myself lucky if I see one for myself within 50 years (and I've one of the common gene mutations). As for cost, I doubt they'll ever truly be considered "affordable": the user base is just too small, particularly if such treatments are one off.

Am I hopeful that it will come, yes. However I wouldnt even begin to put a date on it. Genetic editing through crispr or other means will "fix" the disease the question is if it will reverse its effects of the disease. Im in my 30s now with 20/400 acuity, would fixing the broken bit of code mean my body starts building vision back? Or does it merely just stop the progress? Those are the bigger questions for me.

I reventley had a stem cell therapy done involving injections under my eye that didnt bring life changing results. It changed my vision for sure but im not sure it is empirically better, its difficult to explain.

I wasn't aware there was an RP group.

As stated earlier, I suspect genetic testing would be required to break them into genetic categories for specific genetic editing for each. I myself have yet to get tested as I don't have decent local access to good information. I've seen tests available online but seemed too complicated for me to determine which one I'd need. I suspect genetic counseling might be required.

As for a reasonable price, I suspect it will never be "affordable" without some form of insurance.

Honestly, maybe a little closer than you think. Both Reneuron and JCyte have positive phase II clinical data for their gene agnostic RP treatments (treats all forms of RP regardless of gene) using hRPC stem cells. Both companies are hoping to move into phase III trials within the next year. I really think we may see something on the market by 2025. Their treatments may also be efficacious for RP cousins such as cone rod dystrophy, etc.