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An increased axial length of an eyeball will cause light to focus on the front of the retina which is the more commonly known eye disorder Myopia ( short sight).
An increased corneal curvature can also be indicative as well as an increased lens thickness. Research has thrown up that both environmental and genetic factors can affect patients although it is still unknown what the underlying cause of Myopia is.
There are two regions identified on chromosome 15 that effect our long or short sightedness. CERA research, investigated the association of the two chromosomal regions with refractive error and the measurements of corneal curvature, anterior chamber depth and the ocular axial length. A study group of just over 1500 unrelated European patients took part in the study.
Findings reported a strong association between refractive error and region 15q14 of Chromosome 15 (15q14); but no confirmed association could be made in region 15q25. Further genetic analysis resulted in the finding that the axial length was the most likely cause of refractive error at the 15q14 point.
New tests to determine new genes for myopia in those regions will now need to be investigated.