Categories: Health

Short-sightedness genes discovery leads to drug development to stop condition

British scientists identified 24 genes containing information that could lead to a drug to stop many children becoming short-sighted.

The discovery could spare families from spending a fortune on contact lenses, as well as the expense of laser surgery.

More importantly, the discovery would mean future generations would no longer be at risk of developing complications of short-sightedness that can lead to blindness in later life.

Short-sightedness is becoming more common as we spend more time indoors and in front of TV and computer screens.

Caused by overgrowth of the eyeball, it usually starts developing in childhood, and in severe cases can lead to macular degeneration and other forms of blindness.

The fact that the condition runs in families means that genes are involved.

Almost three years ago, the first gene that causes short-sightedness was identified by King’s College London researcher Chris Hammond.

Now, leading an international team of scientists and trawling through genetic data from 45,000 people from around the world, including the UK, he has found many more.

Prof. Chris Hammond said: “This study reveals for the first time a group of genes involved with myopia and that carriers of some of the genes have a ten-fold increased risk of developing the condition.”

British scientists identified 24 genes containing information that could lead to a drug to stop many children becoming short-sighted

Working out what the genes do and what goes wrong in short-sightedness could lead to eye drops or other drugs to treat the condition.

Prof Chris Hammond, whose research is detailed in the journal Nature Genetics, said: “Now we understand more about the genetic triggers for the condition, we can begin to explore other ways to prevent progression.

“It is an extremely exciting step forward which could potentially lead to better treatments or prevention in the future for millions around the world.”

However, the need for more research, plus rigorous testing, means any drug to prevent the condition is at least 15 years away.

As it would be aimed at children, it would have to be proved not to slow their overall growth, while still stopping their eyeballs from overdeveloping.

And genes are not the only factor behind the development of short-sightedness. A child’s lifestyle also plays a role, with too much time spent in front of a screen and lack of sunlight helping fuel the condition.

Diane A. Wade

Diane is a perfectionist. She enjoys searching the internet for the hottest events from around the world and writing an article about it. The details matter to her, so she makes sure the information is easy to read and understand. She likes traveling and history, especially ancient history. Being a very sociable person she has a blast having barbeque with family and friends.

Recent Posts

Quincy Jones Dead at 91

Quincy Jones, the celebrated musician and producer who worked with Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Ray…

5 hours ago

White House 2024: Voter Fraud Claims Flood Social Media

Misleading allegations, rumours and outright lies about voting and fraud are flooding online spaces in…

2 days ago

Spain: At Least 158 Killed In The Country’s Worst Flooding Disaster

At least 158 people have died in Spain's worst flooding disaster in generations. On October…

4 days ago

Russia Fines Google $20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, Surpassing Global GDP

Google has been fined two undecillion (a two followed by 36 zeroes) roubles by a…

4 days ago

Financing Your Home Remodel: 7 Tips for Success

Embarking on a home remodel is an exciting journey, promising enhanced comfort, increased property value,…

2 weeks ago

Donald Trump Serves Up McDonald’s Fries While Kamala Harris Celebrates 60th Birthday with Church Choir

The US presidential candidates continued to campaign across key swing states on October 20. Footage…

2 weeks ago