Ophthalmic genetics/inherited eye disease

Purpose of review: Genetic diseases of the eye and involving the eye continue as a leading cause of blindness in children and adults.

Recent findings: Most genetic ocular disorders are not yet treatable and/or are without curative therapies because of our limited understanding of pathogenesis, and the need for well-designed and fully implemented animal model or human clinical trial testing of therapeutic methods.

Summary: Herein are current reviews of a variety of ophthalmologic genetic disorders such as anophthalmia, aniridia, albinism, anterior segment dysgenesis, Marfan syndrome, ectopia lentis, neurofibromatosis, retinal hemangioblastomas, and familial exudative vitreoretinopathy.