AAOpt 2024: Honing in on epigenetics

News
Video

Roya Attar gives an overview of her presentation, "Decoding the Retina: The Value of Genetic Testing In Inherited Disorders," presented with Mohammad Rafieetary, OD, FAAO, FORS, ABO, ABCMO.

Roya Attar, OD, MBA, DHA, discusses the importance of genetic testing and inherited retinal disorders, as presented at the American Academy of Optometry 2024 meeting. Attar is the chair of the retina special interest group and presented a course that provides an overview of genetic testing and inherited retinal disorders, with a focus on epigenetics. She explains that epigenetics focuses on what causes certain manifestations of different genes, as the genetic blueprint can be upregulated to manifest more extremely in some individuals and not at all in others. She is also looking forward to the upcoming 2025 Retina and Glaucoma Collaborative Summit, where there will be education on topics such as genetic testing and its value.

Attar emphasizes that many eye care professionals are unaware of the availability of genetic testing and the diseases that can be identified through it. She explains that genetic testing can be beneficial not only for identifying the disease state but also for allowing patients to participate in clinical trials for new therapies. Many companies offer free genetic testing, and the results can be uploaded into databases, enabling companies to identify individuals for potential clinical trials. Attar stresses the importance of eye care providers, whether ophthalmologists or optometrists, in initiating genetic testing for patients, especially those with rare or unexplained eye conditions. She explains that dedicated clinics exist for inherited retinal disorders, and genetic testing can help identify specific genes that can be treated to prevent further vision loss.

The key takeaways from the discussion are the value of genetic testing, the availability of free testing through organizations like the Foundation for Fighting Blindness, and the importance of discussing epigenetic factors, such as lifestyle choices, with patients to help mitigate the impact of their conditions.

Recent Videos
Eye care practitioners reported moderate to high satisfaction with lifitegrast's ability to improve signs of dry eye, according to Melissa Barnett, OD, FAAO, FSLS.
Neda Gioia, OD, CNS, FOWNS, details the positive feedback gained so far from other optometrists that have been prescribing the NutriTears supplement to their dry eye patients.
Damaris Raymondi, OD, FAAO, highlighted the importance of building patient-doctor trust to learn about these practices, which can include non-traditional treatments like chamomile or manuka honey eye drops.
Noreen Shaikh, OD, Magdalena Stec, OD, FAAO, and Brenda Bohnsack, MD, PhD, emphasize that collaboration and communication are key to proper diagnosis and treatment.
Cecilia Koetting, OD, FAAO, DipABO, cited data from a recent student that found that presbyopia treatment with 0.4% pilocarpine led to up to 86% of patients achieving 20/40 or better.
Kerry Giedd, OD, MS, FAAO, was 1 of 20 investigators around the country for a study evaluating the daily disposable contact lens.
According to A. Paul Chous, MA, OD, FAAO, optometrists have an important opportunity to educate patients in their chairs about diabetes.
David Geffen, OD, FAAO, gave a poster presentation titled "Revolutionizing Comfort: Unveiling the Potential of Perfluorohexyloctane Eyedrops for Contact Lens Wearers" at this year's Academy meeting.
Jessica Steen, OD, FAAO, Dipl-ABO, discussed ophthalmic considerations for patients undergoing treatment with antibody drug conjugates for gynecologic cancers at this year's conference.
A. Paul Chous, MA, OD, FAAO, details a presentation on this year's updates on diabetes given at this year's Academy meeting
© 2024 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.