CANBERRA, May 8 (Xinhua) -- A major Australian-led study has identified a new genetic contributor to juvenile glaucoma, offering potential for earlier diagnosis and targeted treatment of this leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide.
The study marks another important step toward treating multiple forms of glaucoma through genetic testing, adding to a growing body of evidence on the causes of the disease, said a statement from Australia's Flinders University released Friday.
The findings, published in the U.S. journal JAMA Ophthalmology, link duplication of the FOXC1 gene to juvenile open-angle glaucoma, a form of the condition that affects people under 40.
The research highlights the potential for incorporating FOXC1 duplication testing into routine genetic screening, particularly for families with a history of this form of juvenile glaucoma. Parents, siblings and children of affected individuals have up to a 50 percent chance of also carrying the gene duplication.
"Identifying family members who are at risk allows earlier monitoring and treatment, helping to prevent vision loss from glaucoma," said the study's corresponding author, PhD candidate Giorgina Maxwell at Flinders University.
Glaucoma often develops without detectable early symptoms. While the disease typically affects older adults, the authors said juvenile cases are often underdiagnosed.
Early treatment, including eye drops, laser therapy and surgery, can stabilize, slow or prevent disease progression, they said. ■
