Scientists discover a gene for myopia?

Question

I received this from Info-Clip...an online optical news magazine.

It is of interest to all myopes and the optometrists.

The title is a statement, not a question...lol

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Scientists have known for a long time that heredity plays a role in the development of myopia. Now they have uncovered a gene associated with the disorder.

That gene is called RASGRF1. Researchers from Duke University Medical Center conducted a two-phase study, first on a group of twins, then on 13,414 adults. Study findings posted on September 12 on the Nature Genetics website showed that the RASGRF1 gene has a strong association with myopia. To confirm these findings, researchers worked with a team from King’s College in London to create mice that were missing the correct gene. These mice showed changes in their eye lenses.

According to Dr. Terri Young, an ophthalmologist at Duke University, the discovery of a gene is particularly promising. “The eye is already an organ of choice for gene therapy, for example, because the eye’s small volume and self-contained area allow the therapy to remain inside the eye in a concentrated volume,” he says.

The Duke researchers and a team from the National University of Singapore also found a second gene, the CTNDD2, related to myopia in Chinese and Japanese populat

Fuffy · Accepted Answer

Since yours is not a question, let me ask you a question. If you believe in science, i.e. evolution, how can you believe that millions of years of evolution led to a genetic defect that affects such a huge number of people? If it weren't for the invention of glasses, a great part of the people on this planet would be invalid, unable to provide for themselves. If you consider the most developed Asian countries, more than half of their inhabitants are myopic. And you're telling me that Nature created a race of handicapped people ?  The idea of a genetic defect that has increased esponentially over the last 50 years is simply ridiculous.

Have you ever heard of the study by F.A. Young and others:  "The transmission of refractive errors within Eskimo families"  Am J Optom Arch Am Acad Optom. 1969 Sep;46(9):676-85  ?    
If myopia is genetic how do you explain that among hundreds of people of the same ethnic group  only the young ones were myopic ?    illogical as it may seem, middle-aged people and old people had perfect eyesight, while young people were myopic, and the younger they were, the more myopic they were.  Absurd , someone would say.  Actually it's not absurd at all if you consider that something very important had happened to the Eskimos in the decades preceding that study. Their young began to go to school !   In just 20 years  their way of life changed dramatically. They began to abandon their traditional way of life, and started to embrace our own "civilized" way of life, with all that it entails in terms of eye-strain caused by near work.  That's why they became myopic, not because of genetics.

Greg · Answer

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Basically what glasses do is bolt the eyes into their refractive state and in order to transparent your lenses you need to keep up the poor vision that the lenses are intended to correct. 
This program demonstrates to you a proved method to improve your vision naturally, permanently and with complete results.

Germaine · Answer

1

Anonymous · Answer

That's very interesting, "wow" is the only thing I can say. 

I wish they will find more things about it and help people's eyes in the future. 

Thank you for sharing

jpopelish · Answer

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/kids-exposed-to-more-sunlight-less-likely-to-need-glasses/

Anonymous · Answer

Now I know why.

Scientists discover a gene for myopia?

6 Answers