Are bilateral congenital cataracts familial?

Question

Hi doctor,

I have bilateral congenital cataracts with no other issues. My parents do not have them. Please let me know the percentage of passing this to my kid? I knew that this is autosomal dominant. But, what is the possibility of this to become familial? Is my kid fifty percent prone to it?

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com. It depends upon two factors. First we have to confirm whether it is genetic. There are many different reasons for having bilateral congenital cataracts. The second is the mutation itself. If one allele is affected and your partner does not carry the gene then the chances are fifty percent for each child. The mutations in bilateral congenital cataracts are very sporadic and it is not one specific locus each time. I would say it would be hard to predict unless we have your genetic analysis.