SNP Shot: Genomic Insights

Bradyopsia is an uncommon visual impairment. The name originates from Greek and signifies "slow vision." Individuals with bradyopsia experience a delayed adaptation of their eyes to changes in light. This results in temporary blindness when transitioning from darkness to brightness, like stepping out of a movie theater into sunlight, which can last for several seconds. Similarly, they struggle to adjust their vision when moving from bright light to darkness, such as entering a tunnel on a sunny day.

Furthermore, some individuals with bradyopsia have difficulty tracking certain moving objects, especially small ones against bright backgrounds. This can make it challenging to watch or play sports involving a ball, such as soccer or tennis. While those with bradyopsia may exhibit reduced visual sharpness (acuity), the degree of impairment can vary depending on the testing environment. Acuity may appear significantly diminished under bright light conditions but approach normal levels in dimly lit settings. Color vision and the ability to differentiate between colors remain unaffected.

The visual difficulties associated with bradyopsia typically become noticeable in early childhood. The condition tends to remain stable and does not progress or worsen with age.

Inheritance:

Bradyopsia is an autosomal recessive inherited disorder. This means that for an individual to be affected, both copies of the responsible gene in their cells must carry a mutation. The parents, each carrying one copy of the mutated gene, are usually unaffected and do not exhibit symptoms of the condition.