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Macular degeneration, a breakdown in the light-detecting part of the eye called the macula, is the number-one cause of vision loss in older Americans. But doctors don’t know all the factors…
genetic and environmental… that conspire to cause it.
Now University of Florida eye researchers say they’ve found a common genetic link between eyes of rhesus monkeys and human eyes that could paint a clearer picture of the causes of vision loss as we age. Together with collaborators at the Institute for Human Genetics in Germany,
U-F scientists have participated in identifying a specific chromosome and genes relating to certain monkeys’ eyes they say can be used statistically to predict early-risk age-related macular degeneration in people. This defective region could be linked to nearly twenty percent of all cases of the disease. Nearly two million Americans have advanced age-related macular degeneration, and seven million more have an intermediate form of the disease. Researchers say the discovery will allow them to delve deeper into what causes the disease and could be a first step toward preventing extensive vision loss.
Dr. William Dawson / UF eye researcher
“The ultimate goal for many researchers is the identification of those genes which may be a major factor in the development of age-related macular disease.”
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The monkeys’ eyes are almost identical to humans’, and because the animals age much more rapidly, researchers say they are able to study a speeded-up, time-lapsed view of the disease… from onset to conclusion. Of particular interest for future research is the interplay of genes with the environment and lifestyle factors such as diet in the development of the disease. Most people don’t even realize they’re fighting macular degeneration until they notice changes in their sight… when it may be too late to reverse the vision loss.
Dr. William Dawson / UF eye researcher
“The monkey offers us the opportunity to deal with the very earliest components of macular disease, before it’s normally clinically detectable, and this is a big step forward in dealing with the disease that’s already present.”
Voice-over:
At the University of Florida Health Science Center, I’m Mike Garrison
