Duke scientists’ recent work identified a gene closely related to the world’s most common eye disorder.
Researchers at the Duke University Medical Center discovered a gene related to myopia—commonly known as nearsightedness. The World Health Organization lists myopia treatment as a priority to prevent avoidable blindness, but there are currently no practical therapies to prevent its progression, according to the study.
Dr. Terri Young, professor of ophthalmology and pediatrics and co-author of the study, said the work is a step toward eventually preventing myopia with the help of future research. Young’s work deals specifically with severe cases of myopia.
“We still have to develop animal models to test our hypotheses and then develop therapies for animals,” Young said. “Then we can begin developing therapies for humans.”
Myopia is a condition in which the focal point of an image falls short of the retina at the rear of the eye, resulting in blurred distance vision.
For many Duke students, nearsightedness is more of an inconvenience than a medical risk. Junior Anthony Henry said his glasses are so comfortable he even sleeps with them on.
Tonia Osadebe, a first-year master of engineering management student, also said the biggest inconveniences myopia bring are a few blurry lectures when she forgets her glasses and some embarrassment when she needs to put them on during a movie date.
But in severe cases, myopia can lead to blindness.
Young said she started this project back in the 1990s when she was working on the Human Genome Project, an international effort to identify genes in human DNA.
“[The Human Genome Project] is what gave me the idea and hope that I could actually do this because up until that point no one had been looking for the gene for myopia even though it was so common,” she said.
Young said researchers collected data from multiple generations of families whose members suffered from the disorder in order to create genetic pedigrees. Technological advances eventually allowed her to collect international data, expanding the scope of her research, she added.
For severe cases of myopia, gene therapy would not only mean a cure for individuals, but also for their children.
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