Genetic clues may help to prevent onset of glaucoma

THE most common cause of glaucoma could be stopped early after scientists discovered the genetic blueprint that predicts who is in danger of developing the eye condition.

Around 480,000 people in England suffer from glaucoma, which starts with a loss of peripheral vision and gradually spreads.

It is thought to be caused by a buildup of pressure in the eye that compresses the optic nerve.

However, in the early stages symptoms are often absent and many people are unaware that they have the condition until the damage is already done.

Now King’s College London, the Moorfields Eye Hospital and Harvard Medical School have jointly mapped the 133 genetic variants that put people at risk of developing the condition.

Their research suggests a test could be created to find those susceptible as early as childhood, so treatment could be given before any damage occurs.

Dr Pirro Hysi, from King’s College, the lead author, said: “Knowing someone’s genetic risk profile might allow us to predict what risk of glaucoma he or she carries so that in the future we can focus scarce healthcare resources on those most at risk.”

Dr Anthony Khawaja, the co-author from Moorfields, said: “We are now more able to predict the risk of an individual developing glaucoma. The predictive genetic markers could be measured as early as birth, even though glaucoma develops later in adulthood.”

The research was published in the journal Nature Genetics.