The ALSPAC study is an important part of the CREAM consortium and we are delighted that we have been able to join forces with researchers in other countries to shed light on the causes of myopia.
Scientists have discovered 24 new genes that cause refractive errors and myopia - an important cause of blindness and visual impairment worldwide, which has no cure to date. The findings reveal genetic causes of the trait, and this may help in finding a solution. Thirty per cent of Western populations and up to 80 per cent of Asians suffer from myopia (nearsightedness). During visual development in childhood and adolescence, the eye grows in length, but in myopes it grows too long, and light entering the eye is then focused in front of the retina rather than on it. This results in a blurred image. This refractive error can be corrected with glasses, lenses or surgery. However, the eye remains longer, the retina is thinner, and this may lead to retinal detachment, glaucoma or macular degeneration, especially with higher degrees of myopia.
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