Strong Evidence For A Genetic Marker For Nearsightedness
Monday, June 2, 2008 - 22:14
in Paleontology & Archaeology
New research supports the theory that the refractive errors known as nearsightedness and farsightedness are primarily inherited. The group also identified the probable location---on the long arm of chromosome 5---of genes that help determine axial length, a key factor in these refractive errors. Axial length is a specific measurement from the front to back of the eye; this distance is longer than normal when a person is nearsighted and shorter than normal in a farsighted person.