Next-generation DNA sequencing holds key to faster congenital cataracts diagnosis

Researchers have found a fast, precise and cost-effective way to help ensure that children with congenital cataracts get the right diagnosis. Treatment and advice for congenital cataracts currently varies widely due to the difficulty of accurately identifying the cause, however a team from the Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine used next-generation DNA sequencing  to assign the problem to specific genes, making earlier and more appropriate care possible. Congenital cataracts accounts for about 10% of childhood blindness and can mean that a child’s visual development is disrupted, leading to significant sight loss and blindness. They can also be the first sign