Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON)

A disease entity that most commonly affects young men in their teens and early twenties and causes significantly decreased central vision in both eyes. The genes that cause LHON are carried on small circular mitochondrial DNA molecules that are inherited from an individuals mother. This condition is extremely rare (affecting fewer than 1 per million people per year) and does not affect everyone who harbors the genetic defect. The visual field defects in LHON are typically cecocentral scotomas. There are three other eye diseases named after Theodore Leber: 1) Leber congenital amaurosis (blindness at birth) inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion, 2) Leber’s stellate neuroretinopathy (a non-heritable condition associated with cat scratch disease) and 3) Leber’s military aneurysms (a non-heritable vascular malformation of the retina similar to Coat’s disease).

Related Links

Leber hereditary optic neuropathy – Genetics Home Reference – NIH

Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON)

Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy

Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy. Causes and diagnosis — ICR

[Full text] Leber hereditary optic neuropathy: current perspectives — OPTH

Continuing Education

Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment — Santhera Switzerland

Prophylaxis for Second Eye Involvement in Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy: An Open-Labeled, Nonrandomized Multicenter Trial of Topical Brimonidine Purite

Mitochondrial replacement in an iPSC model of Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy. — bioRxiv

Bilateral vision loss due to Leber?s hereditary optic neuropathy after long-term alcohol, nicotine and drug abuse — SpringerLink

Related Videos