Genetic analysis of participants with foveal hypoplasia

There is few data that investigate the genetic underpinnings of idiopathic foveal hypoplasia and assess its potential overlap with albinism-related gene variants in a cohort devoid of familial albinism history.

This cross-sectional study included 19 participants diagnosed with idiopathic foveal hypoplasia, confirmed via optical coherence tomography (OCT). We detailed ophthalmic evaluations and genotyping using a panel of 33 genes related to foveal hypoplasia.

Of the 19 participants, 2 (10%) exhibited heterozygous pathogenic variants in genes typically associated with albinism (TYR and OCA2). Eyes from participants with variants had statistically significant lower central macula thickness than those without.

The study reveals some albinism-associated variants among participants with idiopathic foveal hypoplasia, suggesting a possible genetic basis for this condition in a subset of cases.