GENETICS

Genetics is a field that has held the promise to transform medicine for many years. Yet only in the past few decades has clinical practice quietly started to catch up to the possibilities that scientists have been envisioning for years. From the discovery of the first genetic diseases in the early 20th century, to the advent of the human genome project, to the vision therapies that can be directed to each individual’s genetic make-up, there has been great progress. And yet for all the progress that has been made, it is a field that has the potential to continue to evolve at the same rapid pace for years to come. This chapter is a brief glimpse into where the field of genetics has come from, how it fits into a modern ophthalmology practice, and the potential it holds for future clinical practice.