Genetic analysis identifies loci associated with macular telangiectasia type 2

An international collaboration of researchers has identified five loci in the genome that could be responsible for the development of macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel), an incurable and untreatable degenerative eye disease that leads to blindness. The report was published in Nature Genetics and led by investigators from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (Melbourne, Australia). MacTel is a rare retinal disease, which mainly affects people over the age of 40. It is characterized by abnormal growth of blood vessels in the macula; sufferers experience a loss of central vision, which is essential for tasks that require...