Speaker at Pint of Science in Glasgow. Audience of approximately 15 non-scientists paid to listen to talks on eye research. I talksed for 30 mins on the genetics of eye development and birth defects affecting the eyes.
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Why eye can see
Joe Rainger (Fight for Sight Early Career Investigator Fellow, University of Edinburgh)
One of the first observations we make when seeing a new-born baby is how beautiful their eyes are. We may then comment on what, or how far, they can see; or “whose eyes” they have inherited. We rarely consider just how these amazing visual organs came into being. Yet for a small percentage of the population the exact opposite occurs. Ocular birth defects affect approximately 1 in 5000 UK new-borns and can profoundly affect their vision. What are the genes that guide the process? How do these genes function normally and what happens when they fail to work properly? Can we use this information to help clinical practice? Could we even repair or make new eyes?