PubMed ID: 19104467
Author(s): Young TL. Molecular genetics of human myopia: an update. Optom Vis Sci. 2009 Jan;86(1):E8-E22. doi: 10.1097/OPX.0b013e3181940655. PMID 19104467
Journal: Optometry And Vision Science : Official Publication Of The American Academy Of Optometry, Volume 86, Issue 1, Jan 2009
Myopia, or nearsightedness, is the most common human eye disorder in the world, and is a significant global public health concern. Along with cataract, macular degeneration, infectious disease, and vitamin A deficiency, myopia is one of the most important causes of visual impairment worldwide. Severe or high-grade myopia is a leading cause of blindness because of its associated ocular morbidities of retinal detachment, macular choroidal degeneration, premature cataract, and glaucoma. Ample evidence documents the heritability of the non-syndromic forms of this condition, especially for high-grade myopia, commonly referred to as myopic spherical refractive power of 5 to 6 diopters or higher. Multiple high-grade myopia genetic loci have been identified, and confirmatory studies identifying high-grade and moderate myopia loci have also occurred. In general, myopia susceptibility genes are unknown with few association studies performed, and without confirmation in other research laboratories or testing of separate patient cohorts.