[Role of heredity in myopia]

Analysis of genealogic data of 100 patients addressed on occasion of myopia in 1987-1988 has shown that in 85% of the subjects myopia was of a clearly hereditary character (in 35%--a dominant and in 50%--a recessive hereditary). The author compares his own results with literature data and draws attention to Steiger's views about formation of myopic refraction and the role of hereditary factor in this process. In the light of the mentioned data, the author considers it expedient to work out a programme of special researches for development of a method of prognosticating initial myopia and a correction of several ways for approbation of existing methods of prevention of progressive myopia.