2012 National DNA Day Online Chatroom Transcript

This is just one question from an archive of the National DNA Day Moderated Chat held in April 2012. The NHGRI Director and many genomics experts from across NHGRI took questions from students, teachers and the general public on topics ranging from basic genomic research, to the genetic basis of disease, to ethical questions about genetic privacy.

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Why does eyesight get weaker and weaker as you get older?
     Belen Hurle, Ph.D.: I am a Research Fellow in NHGRI's Genome Technology Branch and a Program Director in NHGRI's Intramural Training Office. I study primate genomes as a means to enhance our understanding of human evolutionary biology. There are many causes for loss of vision in the elderly. A number of factors can affect our eyesight as we age, and not all of them are genetic. For instance cataracts (cloudy eye lenses), can be due to environmental aggravation, such as radiation or UV-light induced damage. Macular degeneration (the physical breakdown of the central portion of the retina) appears to be hereditary in some cases. It depends!
Peru High School in IN (9th grade student)

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