Gene discovery big step in helping to prevent deafness and blindness

EUROPEAN scientists have identified the genes that cause people to become deaf and blind, especially as they get older.

Researchers intend to use this breakthrough knowledge to investigate therapies that could prevent the genes doing their work and handicapping millions of people as they grow older.

About 48 million or 10% of Europeans suffer from some kind of hearing impairment, with two in every five 75-year-olds having problems with their hearing. Millions more have sight problems that they have inherited and that becomes a problem as they get older.