ES. Family studies in glaucoma

There is now strong evidence for a genetic basis to glaucoma. Numerous family histories have been recorded, and Dodinval, Prijot, and Weekers (I970) consider that at least 20 per cent. of cases of open-angle glaucoma are of a familial and hereditary character. Ad-ditional evidence derives from studies of the families of patients with glaucoma. Kellerman and Posner (1955) examined 192 relatives and detected eight cases of chronic simple glaucoma; Becker, Kolker, and Roth (I 960) examined I IO parents, siblings, and children of patients with chronic simple glaucoma and diagnosed the condition in six. Miller and Paterson (I962) found an incidence of 8 per cent in the first-degree relatives over the age of 40 years of I 25 sibs and children of patients with chronic simple glaucoma. Two additional cases were diagnosed on further follow-up (Paterson, I 970). Although it is recognized that the relatives of patients with closed-angle glaucoma are likely to have similar anatomical characteristics, the frequency of the overt disease in relatives is not well documented. Kellerman and Posner (1955) examined 24 relatives (48 eyes) of patients with closed-angle glaucoma and found two suspicious cases. We have examined the relatives of cases of chronic simple, closed-angle, and some othe