Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Genetic Epidemiology Study in the Amish

本研究的招募工作正在进行中。屈光不正在美国是一种常见的眼部疾病，如果不进行矫正，受影响眼睛的视力就会受损。最普遍的屈光不正，近视或近视，在世界许多地方的频率正在增加。虽然遗传易感性被认为使个体易患近视，但其他环境因素如近距离工作活动也被认为会影响易感性。旧秩序阿米什人有一种独特的，主要是农业的生活方式，避免现代技术，并在八年级后停止所有正规教育。因为他们的环境暴露是内部同质的，不需要太多的近距离工作活动，我们决定调查屈光不正的分布，特别是近视和远视（远视）在阿米什同胞谁是参与这项队列研究。我们发现，近视和远视的比率在旧秩序阿米什兄弟姐妹低于观察到的其他人口群体的类似年龄结构。近视和远视也被观察到聚集在同胞。据估计，遗传因素占70%的变异，屈光不正在这些阿米什同胞。

Recruitment for this study is on-going. Refractive error is a common ocular condition in the US and without correction, the vision in an affected eye is impaired. The most prevalent refractive error, myopia or nearsightedness, is increasing in frequency in many parts of the world. Although a genetic predisposition is believed to predispose individuals to develop myopia, other environmental factors such as near work activities are also thought to influence susceptibility. The Old Order Amish have an unique, largely agrarian lifestyle, avoid modern technology, and discontinue all formal schooling after the eighth grade. Because their environmental exposures are internally homogenous and do not entail much near work activity, we decided to investigate the distribution of refractive error, specifically myopia and hyperopia (farsightedness) within Amish sibships who are participants in this cohort study. We found that rates of myopia and hyperopia in the Old Order Amish siblings are lower than those observed in other population groups of similar age structure. Myopia and hyperopia were also observed to aggregate within sibships. Genetic factors are estimated to account for 70% of the variability in refractive error in these Amish sibships.