Question: Is optic atrophy ginetic and what cause it?

Reference:
Optic atrophy 1: Optic atrophy 1 is a condition that mainly affects vision, but may include other features. Vision loss typically begins within the first decade of life; severity varies widely among affected people (from nearly normal vision to complete blindness), even among members of the same family. Vision problems may include difficulty distinguishing colors, progressive narrowing of the field of vision (tunnel vision) and an abnormally pale appearance (pallor) of the optic nerve. Additional, less common abnormalities may include sensorineural hearing loss , ataxia , myopathy (muscle disease) and other neurological findings. [1] It is usually caused by  mutations in the OPA1 gene , although some individuals with optic atrophy 1 do not have identified mutations in this gene, in which case the cause of the condition is unknown. This condition is inherited in an  autosomal dominant pattern but some cases result from a new mutation in the gene and occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family. [2] Treatment focuses on individual symptoms when possible. [1] The Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) provides the following list of features that have been reported in people with this condition. Much of the information in the HPO comes from Orphanet, a European rare disease database. If available, the list includes a rough estimate of how common a feature is (its frequency). Frequencies are based on a specific study and may not be representative of all studies. You can use the MedlinePlus Medical Dictionary for definitions of the terms below. Signs and Symptoms Approximate number of patients (when available) Ataxia Very rare Horizontal nystagmus Very rare Progressive external ophthalmoplegia Very rare Proximal muscle weakness Very rare Strabismus Very rare Abnormal amplitude of pattern reversal visual evoked potentials - Autosomal dominant inheritance - Central scotoma - Centrocecal scotoma - Incomplete penetrance - Insidious onset - Optic atrophy - Red-green dyschromatopsia - Reduced visual acuity - Tritanomaly - Visual impairment - View complete list of signs and symptoms... The resources below provide information about treatment options for this condition. If you have questions about which treatment is right for you, talk to your healthcare professional. Management Guidelines GeneReviews provides current, expert-authored, peer-reviewed, full-text articles describing the application of genetic testing to the diagnosis, management, and genetic counseling of patients with specific inherited conditions. A thorough search of available literature provided very limited information about how optic atrophy 1 may affect life expectancy. A recent study discussed how extra-ocular neurological complications may be more common than previously thought in individuals with an OPA1 gene mutation and may affect up to 20% of individuals. The authors of the study described new clinical features including spastic paraplegia (stiffness of the legs) and a multiple sclerosis-like illness. [3] Ongoing research and follow-up of individuals with the condition may provide specific information about life expectancy in the future. Vision loss alone is not expected to substantially shorten the life span; however, severe neurological symptoms, when present, theoretically may contribute to a shortened life span in some individuals. The following diseases are related to Optic atrophy 1. If you have a question about any of these diseases, you can contact GARD. Dominant optic atrophy

Answer: Optic atrophy 1 is usually caused by  mutations in the OPA1 gene , although some individuals with optic atrophy 1 do not have identified mutations in this gene, in which case the cause of the condition is unknown. This condition is inherited in an  autosomal dominant pattern but some cases result from a new mutation in the gene and occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family.