An inherited condition causing sudden vision loss mainly affects men around age 15 – 25 years old.
Women tend to be affected at an older age, often around times of oestrogen loss. For unknown reasons, males are affected much more often than females and there is approximately a 50% chance of losing vision if you are male and a 10% chance if you are female.
Male carriers are therefore at a much higher risk of being affected and the reason for this gender bias is still unclear.
It occurs because of unknown changes (mutations) in the energy part of the cells in the eye (mitochondria).
Mitochondria produce most of the energy that cells need to function (convert the energy from food into a form that cells can use) and these inherited mutations disrupt the mitochondria and cause cells in the retina to stop working and/or causing weakness and/or death of cells in the optic nerve (the nerve that connects from the eye to the brain).
Cause
These mutations are at nucleotide positions 11778 G to A, 3460 G to A and 14484 T to C, respectively in the ND4, ND1 and ND6 subunit genes of complex I of the oxidative phosphorylation chain in mitochondria. (Oxidative phosphorylation uses a series of four large multienzyme complexes, which are all embedded in the inner mitochondrial membrane to convert oxygen and simple sugars to energy).
Family history: From Mother (carrier) to offspring (Men can be affected, but they cannot pass the condition on to their children)
Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice
Detailed Information
Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Leber’s Disease in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).
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