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| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 1984 | Volume
: 32
| Issue : 5 | Page : 333-334 |
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Genetic counselling in prevention of blindness
VB Pratap, HB Lal, Jitendra Agrawal
Children Eye Care Centre, Department of Ophthalmology, KG Medical College, Lucknow, India
Correspondence Address:
V B Pratap
Children Eye Care Centre, Department of Ophthalmology, KG. Medical College, Lucknow 226 003
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
PMID: 6545316 
How to cite this article:
Pratap V B, Lal H B, Agrawal J. Genetic counselling in prevention of blindness. Indian J Ophthalmol 1984;32:333-4 |
Though the exact data of prevelance and incidence of blindness due to heritable eye diseases in the country are not available, but according to our observation in Children Eye Care Centre's OPD the incidence is quite high. While most of the cases the proper family history was not available.
| Material and methods | |  |
In this study total 3490 children, those who attended the OPD of Children Eye Care Centre in last 18 months were studied. Their ocular and systemic examination was done in detail and maximum possible of the pedigree was traced.
| Observations | | |
| Discussion | | |
The above table shows that the incidence of the heritable ocular is quite high i.e. 41.49%, while in this so many types of cases are not included as they did not attend the O.P.D. during this study, or the symptoms developed quite late like retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration etc. Tracing of the pedigree is also very difficult in our society due to ignorance and illiteracy. Due these reasons we also do not get correct incidence and pattern of heritable problems.
Keeping in view the above data it is important to establish the genetic clinic to have a proper study of genetic problems and to cater the counselling to patients of heritable disease. They should be told in detail the consequences of their disease on their off springs, if they marry or produce the children. This may help, in reducing the incidence. Consanguanity is quite common in some community. In blind school it is quite common practice that blind marry among themselves it may further inhance the tragedy. This should be discouraged or marriage should be after proper medical checkup to rule out any type of genetic problem. Genetic counselling clinic may help a lot in this field.
| Summary | | |
In this study 3490 children were examined to study the incidence and pattern of heritable ocular diseases to establish the role of genetic counselling in reducing the incidence. In this study 41.49% cases were suffering with heritable ocular diseases it means the incidence is quite high. Genetic counselling may play a great role in reducing the incidence of these diseases.
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