Scientists have discovered a sequence of genes linked to myopia, the world's most common eye condition.
The discovery of what goes wrong to make distant objects appear blurry sheds new light on the problem and raises hopes for drugs to prevent myopia.
Understanding the biological malfunctions behind myopia could help researchers develop "strong" eye drops or medications that might stop children's vision from declining as they age.
Vision usually begins to form early in a person's life.
The proportion of genes in the cause of myopia varies between people with myopia, but among those with the worst vision, about 80% of myopia is caused by genes.
Two separate studies, published simultaneously in the journal nature genetics, both identified genetic variants that are more common in people with myopia. king's College London (king' Chris of s college london; chris hammond found that a section of dna on chromosome 15 is more common in people with myopia. Caroline ·, erasmus medical centre in rotterdam, the Netherlands; caroline klaver, one of the authors of the study, found another sequence of genes, also on chromosome 15, also associated with myopia.
Genetic variation is equivalent to the emergence of the genetic code. Misspell” . These variants alter the activity of three genes associated with the eye, which control the growth of the eye and ensure that light entering the eye is converted into electrical impulses in the retina. The discovery will help scientists better understand how a healthy eye becomes short-sighted, and could point the way to drugs to prevent myopia in childhood.
In an interview with the Guardian newspaper, Hammond said, “ I wish we could find eye drops or pills that would prevent the eyes from growing too large without interfering with normal brain development or the growth of other body parts. ”
(Translation)