[Genetic considerations in chronic simple glaucoma]

The study of a representative group of primary open-angle glaucoma patients from Eye Clinic, University Hospital, Bucharest, showed a hereditary transmission in 43.11% of cases. Isolated cases were in 56.88%. Genetic study of the affected families showed an autosomal dominant transmission of the disease in 58.33% of cases, an autosomal recessive in 38.88% of cases and in 2.77% of cases the study was unconvincing. Genetic prognosis elaborations in primary open-angle glaucoma and the calculation of the recurrence rate of the disease in offspring showed the following values: in primary open-angle glaucoma patients--autosomal dominant transmission--the recurrence risk of the disease was 1/2 (50%) in primary open-angle glaucoma patients--autosomal recessive transmission--the recurrence risk was 1/200 (0.5%) It is important to achieve a complete familial investigation for all primary open-angle glaucoma patients. On this basis is necessary to achieve and analyse the genealogical tree, to find out the kind of transmission of the disease, to detect the carriers of pathological gene (the heterozygotes), to calculate the recurrence risk of the disease in offspring, for an efficient prophylaxis of the disease.