Myopia can be of a genetic nature
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Scientists say that they are one step closer to solving the problem of the most common eye disease in the world - myopia or myopia. The international group of geneticists within the framework of a single project analyzed the genes of more than 13,000 twins and concluded that the roots of myopia can be of a genetic nature.
Professor of Ophthalmology Research Institute Lions Gate Dr. David McKay, said that the task of their project was to identify specific genes, the deviations in which lead to the emergence of myopia. The tasks of geneticists included the analysis of DNA pairs and the search for so-called genetic markers of the disease.
"We had to analyze about 600,000 markers to find out which of them are most likely related to the onset of myopia .. In collaboration with a group of doctors from London, we were able to identify one gene that is very likely associated with myopia in old age ", says Professor Mackay.
In addition, he noted that about 3 million Australians suffer from nearsightedness, about the same number of Britons, and in some Asian countries myopia is generally a disease with the nature of the epidemic. Here, almost 98% of the population over 45 years old can not do without glasses.
"This problem is especially acute in Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and with the development of industry and cities and in China." Now the education level of the population has significantly increased in these areas, but the level of short-sighted people has risen as the flip side of this medal, "says McKay.
According to the scientists' forecasts, in the nearest half a century short-sightedness, despite the development of medical technologies, will not decrease, but will only increase. In addition, physicians suggest that age-related myopia, myopia congenital and short-sightedness acquired as a result of a disease, for example diabetes, are essentially different diseases, although they manifest themselves in one form, respectively, and treat them in different ways.
"There are factors that lead to myopia due to objective reasons, such as a long work at the computer, but there are groups of people who are prone to myopia at the gene level, and we are planning to create medicines for this category," McKay said.
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