Glaucoma Risk Factors: Family History – The Genetics of Glaucoma

Who goes blind with glaucoma? People with a family history of blindness go blind with glaucoma. The association of open angle glaucoma and family history has been known for years; the lifetime risk for first-degree relatives of affected individuals to develop open angle glaucoma is 22% when compared with a 2% risk in controls, but clinicians routinely overlook this fact when interviewing and evaluating patients. Patients are rarely accurate in reporting family history. Three genetic loci for glaucoma were first found in a single glaucoma practice in Portland, Oregon - GLC1C, GLC1F, and GLC1G - because of repeated and persistent inquiries about affected relatives. Asking a patient only once about his or her family history is rarely effective; patients tend to confuse macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma.