The eyes of individuals with LCA also usually appear sunken or deep set. In some cases, LCA is associated with central nervous system complications such as developmental delay, epilepsy, and motor skill impairment. Because LCA is relatively rare, the frequency of central nervous system complications is unknown. Inheritance LCA is genetically passed through families by the autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance. In this type of inheritance, both parents, called carriers, have one gene for the disease paired with one normal gene.
Carriers are unaffected because they have only one copy of the gene.
At this time, it is impossible to determine who is a carrier for LCA until after the birth of an affected child. Although similarly named, LCA should not be confused with Leber optic atrophy. In addition, there are syndromes seen in infancy where visual impairment at birth is a component. A thorough ophthalmologic examination including diagnostic tests measuring retinal function and an accurate documentation of family history can distinguish between these related conditions. However, scientists recently isolated a gene for LCA to a chromosome 17.