Genetics of primary open-angle glaucoma

Abstract

<em><strong>Objective:</strong></em> To gather information on the genetics of primary open-angle glaucoma for gene identification that would allow the design an early diagnosis tool for better disease management. <em><strong>Materials and <em><strong>Methods:</strong></em></strong></em> A systematic primary literature search was performed in databases such as PubMed, SciELO, and Elsevier additionally, references from various texts were used for terminologies, charts and tables on different types of glaucoma, in order to determine the characteristics, differential diagnosis and identification of genes associated with the development of primary open-angle glaucoma. The selected information corresponds to the period 2010-2015. <em><strong>Conclusions:</strong></em> Primary open-angle glaucoma is a disease that, in most cases, depends on a dominant pattern of inheritance, mainly characterized by two genes: myocilin (MYOC) and optineurin (OPTN) this results in the identification of six loci associated with this disease. It is also associated with other pathologies that are risk factors for glaucoma, such as high myopia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, ethnicity, among other systemic manifestations. Similarly, it is important to remember that it affects the quality of life and it is a public health problem.