Genetics: Now or Later?

Why it’s time to know the basics.

Inas F. Aboobakar, MD

Glaucoma Today

Genetic factors contribute to the development of all forms of early- and adult-onset glaucoma, and recent studies have identified gene variants for every form of disease.1 In coming years, this genetic information will likely have a role in clinical glaucoma care (and ophthalmology and medicine in general), so it is important to be familiar with the basics. The vision for this field is to one day be able to collect a blood sample from any given patient who presents to clinic and run a gene panel to identify the gene mutations or risk variants they carry. For early-onset forms of glaucoma, such as congenital glaucoma and juvenile open-angle glaucoma, testing could identify the causal gene mutation responsible for disease development. First-degree relatives could then be screened for that gene mutation to determine if they are also carriers and therefore warrant close monitoring. Ultimately, it may also be possible to offer these patients targeted gene therapies. For adult-onset forms of glaucoma, such as primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), angle closure, and exfoliation glaucoma, many genes are associated with small increases in disease risk. These gene variants can be assessed in aggregate by deriving a polygenic risk score (PRS), which can provide information on an individual’s glaucoma risk relative to the general population. This may allow personalized risk assessment, monitoring, and therapy for patients with glaucoma and glaucoma suspects. In addition, understanding the specific genetic drivers for a given patient may enable us to classify them into disease subtypes. EARLY-ONSET GLAUCOMA For early-onset forms of glaucoma (patient age at onset ≤ 40 years), a single gene mutation is sufficient for disease development.

Hear the Journey of the OD Behind the Crystal Tear Report

Eyetube

Jackie Garlich, OD, FAAO, and Jessilin Quint, OD, MBA, MS, FAAO, catch up with Crystal M. Brimer, OD, FAAO, to talk about her prolific journey in dry eye. Dr. Brimer discusses opening her own practice, creating the Dry Eye Institute to promote education among eye care providers, and shares tips to help other ODs to get started or revitalize their dry eye services.

Want to Achieve Financial Freedom?

Follow these four tips suitable for any optometrist.

Aaron Neufeld, OD

Modern Optometry

As optometrists, we possess a wealth of knowledge on everything eye-related, but how do we become good stewards of the revenue we earn providing exemplary eye care? Truth be told, most optometrists would say they do not have a wealth of investing knowledge. This article aims to change that by sharing four helpful tips that have guided me and many other optometrists in achieving financial freedom. WHAT IS FINANCIAL FREEDOM? Before we get into the tips, let’s agree on what it means to achieve financial freedom. Simply put, it means having enough money and/or assets to live comfortably without needing to work. That is, while your residual income pays the bills, you can focus on what matters most to you, whether that means spending time with family, traveling the world, or continuing to serve your patients in the best manner possible. With disciplined investing practices, financial freedom can come much earlier than your enrollment in Medicare, despite what conventional wisdom might tell you. Consider the following four recommendations and you’ll be on your way. TIP NO.