microphthalmos

Retinal Nonattachment, Congenital

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

The common denominator in this condition is, of course, congenital nonattachment of the retina.  Many eyes are small as well.  Some patients in addition have a vascularized hyperplastic vitreous and often present with blindness and a congenital leukocoria.  Many at some stage have lens opacification, as well as glaucoma and anterior chamber anomalies including anterior synechiae and some degree of corneal opacification.  These signs are often progressive beginning in childhood.  Pendular nystagmus and esotropia are common.  MRI studies reveal optic nerves and the chiasm that are either absent or abnormally small.

Systemic Features: 

This condition is nonsyndromic and has no systemic abnormalities.

Genetics

Congenital retinal nonattachment consists of a group of sometimes familial conditions for which no responsible gene has been identified.  In a genomic study of 21 consanguineous NCRNA Pakistani families 3 had mutations in ATOH7 and 10 had mutations in familial exudative vitreoretinopathy genes.  Genotyping did not reveal associated mutations in the remaining 38% of these families. It is likely that multiple entities are represented but until the molecular etiologies are identified, no more specific classification is possible.

Studies in mice document that the Atoh7 gene is important to retinal ganglion cell neurogenesis.  In humans, both autosomal recessive PHPV and congenital nonattachment of the retina are associated with microsatellite linkage and haplotype matching to a region at 10q21 adjacent to the ATOH7 gene but so far no causative mutation has been found in this region.  However, studies in large consanguineous kindreds in which a deleted DNA segment adjacent to ATOH7 segregated with the NCRNA phenotype suggest that a transcription regulator may be at fault in the timing and level of ATOH7 expression.

The disorder known as persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous is generally not considered hereditary since it usually occurs unilaterally and sporadically.  It is sometimes found in association with a number of syndromal conditions as well.  However, it has also been reported in familial patterns consistent with both autosomal recessive and autosomal dominant patterns.  DNA mapping of individuals with bilateral disease found in a consanguineous Pakistani kindred with presumed autosomal recessive disease suggests that a locus at 10q11-q21 may be responsible.

Evidence for autosomal dominant inheritance of persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous comes from rare families with an apparent vertical transmission of the condition.

Congenital nonattachment of the retina is also seen in the osteoporosis-pseudoglioma syndrome (250770).  However, this is a syndromal disorder with neurologic and joint disease in addition to porotic, thin, fragile bones (sometimes called the ocular form of osteogenesis imperfecta) resulting from mutations in LRP5 on chromosome 11.

Pedigree: 
Autosomal dominant
Autosomal recessive
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

With rare exceptions, the retina cannot be reattached successfully and phthisis with blindness is the usual outcome.

References
Article Title: 

Microphthalmia with Coloboma, X-Linked

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

Isolated colobomatous microphthalmia is caused multiple mutations and usually inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern.  Type 1 is an X-linked disorder with typical features of small eyes, small corneas, colobomas, and elevated intraocular pressures. 

Systemic Features: 

By definition no systemic disease is present. 

Genetics

The combination of colobomas and microphthalmia is found in numerous heritable syndromes but also occurs in isolation.  X-linked syndromes with this combination usually include mental retardation and cataracts but these are absent in the isolated type described here.  A locus on the X chromosome was identified to lie either on the proximal short arm or the proximal long arm but no specific mutation or gene has been identified.  In the single multigenerational reported family, all affected individuals were male except for one female in whom non-random X-inactivation was postulated. 

Syndromal forms of X-linked microphthalmia with coloboma (309800 ) have also been reported.

Pedigree: 
X-linked recessive, carrier mother
X-linked recessive, father affected
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

No treatment is available for the malformations but low vision aids should be considered for appropriate individuals. 

References
Article Title: 

Fraser Syndrome 1

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

Cryptophthalmos is the major ocular malformation in Fraser syndrome but is a feature in only 93% of patients.  The globe is often small and sometimes completely absent or in some cases consisting of only rudimentary ocular tissue.  The cornea is often adherent to the eyelid tissue.  The lacrimal ducts may be deformed or absent and the lids are often fused.

Systemic Features: 

The most common malformations seen in this disorder are syndactyly (61.5%), cryptophthalmos (88%), and genitourinary malformations but others of a great variety have also been reported, such as laryngeal stenosis, deafness, and deformities of the nares and external auditory meati.  Ambiguous genitalia occur in 17%.   Some infants are stillborn and many do not survive the neonatal period.  Cognitive deficits and congenital heart disease are common.

Genetics

Fraser syndrome 1 is caused by homozygous or heterozygous mutations in the FRAS1 gene (4q21.21).

Fraser syndrome 2 (617666) results from homozygous mutations in the FREM2 gene (13q13.3).  Parental consanguinity is common (25%) and familial patterns are consistent with autosomal recessive inheritance.

Fraser syndrome 3 (617667) results from homozygous mutations in the GRIP1 gene (12q14.3).  Three consanguineous families have been reported.  

Mutations in GRIP1 (PAD14) (12q14.3) have also been found in 3 families in which the parents were consanguineous.

Isolated cryptophthalmos  (123570) also occurs in autosomal dominant pedigrees as well as sporadically.  It is rarely found as an incidental feature of other syndromes.

Pedigree: 
Autosomal recessive
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

No treatment is available.

References
Article Title: 
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