U.S. researchers discover gene responsible for rare, inherited eye disease

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. researchers have identified a gene responsible for some inherited retinal diseases (IRDs), which are a group of disorders that damage the eye's light-sensing retina and threatens vision, according to a study published Thursday.

IRDs affect more than 2 million people worldwide. Each individual disease is rare, complicating efforts to identify enough people to study and conduct clinical trials to develop treatment, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).