What is (are) Optic atrophy 1 ?
Optic atrophy 1 is a condition that mainly affects vision, but may include other features. Vision loss typically begins within the first decade of life; severity varies widely among affected people (from nearly normal vision to complete blindness), even among members of the same family. Vision problems may include difficulty distinguishing colors, progressive narrowing of the field of vision (tunnel vision) and an abnormally pale appearance (pallor) of the optic nerve. Additional, less common abnormalities may include sensorineural hearing loss, ataxia, myopathy (muscle disease) and other neurological findings. It is usually caused by mutations in the OPA1 gene, although some individuals with optic atrophy 1 do not have identified mutations in this gene, in which case the cause of the condition is unknown. This condition is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern but some cases result from a new mutation in the gene and occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family. Treatment focuses on individual symptoms when possible.