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| EDITORIAL |
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| Year : 2011 | Volume
: 1
| Issue : 1 | Page : 1 |
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Letter from the Chief Editor
| Date of Web Publication | 1-Dec-2011 |
Correspondence Address:
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | 3 |
DOI: 10.1016/j.tjo.2011.10.001
How to cite this article:
. Letter from the Chief Editor. Taiwan J Ophthalmol 2011;1:1 |
WE DID IT! It is with great joy and excitement that I announce the launch of this very first issue of the Taiwan Journal of Ophthalmology. We could not have done it without the dedication and hard work of so many professionals who have helped to make this happen. My deepest gratitude goes out to all those who contributed to the first issue of the Journal.
As the population grows older each year, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is becoming the leading eye disease resulting in blindness. By 2020, there may be a 50% increase in the incidence of AMD, and the number of blind people in the United States could increase by as much as 70%. AMD initially occurs in a dry form with pathological change in retinal pigment epithelium; it may progress to the more severe wet form later. If we can halt or delay the progression of AMD, we may be able to help patients with vision loss. We thank Professor George C.Y. Chiou for his review on the etiology, pathogenesis, treatment, and clinical protocol for dry AMD.
The other leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide is glaucoma. This disease is characterized by progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells and accompanying axons. Primary open-angle glaucoma, the most common form, is genetically heterogeneous and caused by severe susceptibility genes. To date, a total of 15 chromosomal loci have been mapped. We thank Beatrice Y.J.T. Yue for her review on the two specific genes, myocilin and optineurin, and their different characteristics and divergent functional consequences. The different mechanisms by which these two genes lead to glaucoma can provide further insights into the molecular bases involved in the pathogenesis of glaucoma.
Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) igs the most common primary mitochondrial DNA disorder in the general population. It is an important cause of severe, usually irreversible, vision loss in young adults. We thank Professors Patrick Yu-Wai-Man and Patrick F. Chinnery for telling us about the clinical features, genetics, and treatment of LHON. They also talk about exciting gene therapy for the organelle genetic disease.
With three review articles, two original articles and two case reports, the Taiwan Journal of Ophthalmology has, in my opinion, set new standards in ophthalmological publications from Taiwan to the world and is a great platform for future articles to come. We are already working on the second issue as we speak and I promise you that with your continuous support, we will continue to inspire and break new ground in the field of ophthalmology.
Lin-Chung Woung, MD, DMSC
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