Questions about rare diseases?
1-888-205-2311
Questions about rare diseases?
1-888-205-2311

Disease at a Glance

Summary
Autosomal dominant optic atrophy (ADOA) is an inherited optic nerve disorder characterized by degeneration of the optic nerves. It typically starts during the first decade of life. Affected people usually develop moderate visual loss and color vision defects. The severity varies and visual acuity can range from normal to legal blindness. About 20% of people with ADOA have non-ocular features, such as sensorineural hearing loss; myopathy; peripheral neuropathy; multiple sclerosis-like illness; and spastic paraplegia (impaired function of the legs). These cases may be referred to as 'ADOA plus.' ADOA is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner and may be caused by a genetic change in any of several genes, some of which have not been identified.
Summary
Autosomal dominant optic atrophy (ADOA) is an inherited optic nerve disorder characterized by degeneration of the optic nerves. It typically starts during the first decade of life. Affected people usually develop moderate visual loss and color vision defects. The severity varies and visual acuity can range from normal to legal blindness. About 20% of people with ADOA have non-ocular features, such as sensorineural hearing loss; myopathy; peripheral neuropathy; multiple sclerosis-like illness; and spastic paraplegia (impaired function of the legs). These cases may be referred to as 'ADOA plus.' ADOA is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner and may be caused by a genetic change in any of several genes, some of which have not been identified.Autosomal dominant optic atrophy (ADOA) is an inherited optic nerve disorder characterized by degeneration of the optic nerves. It typically starts during the first decade of life. Affected people usually develop moderate visual loss and color vision defects. The severity varies and visual acuity can range from normal to legal blindness. About 20% of people with ADOA have non-ocular features, such as sensorineural hearing loss; myopathy; peripheral neuropathy; multiple sclerosis-like illness; and spastic paraplegia (impaired function of the legs). These cases may be referred to as 'ADOA plus.' ADOA is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner and may be caused by a genetic change in any of several genes, some of which have not been identified.
Resource(s) for Medical Professionals and Scientists on This Disease:
  • Orphanet  provides GARD with information for this disease.

About Autosomal dominant optic atrophy

Many rare diseases have limited information. Currently, GARD aims to provide the following information for this disease:

  • Population Estimate:Fewer than 50,000 people in the U.S. have thisdisease.
  • Symptoms:May start to appear as a Child.
  • Cause:This disease has more than one possible cause.
  • Organizations:Patient organizations are available to help find a specialist, or advocacy and support for this specific disease.
  • Categories:Inherited Metabolic DiseasesMitochondrial DiseasesGenetic Diseases
When Do Symptoms of Autosomal dominant optic atrophy Begin?
Symptoms of this disease may start to appear as a Child.

The age symptoms may begin to appear differs between diseases. Symptoms may begin in a single age range, or during several age ranges. The symptoms of some diseases may begin at any age. Knowing when symptoms may have appeared can help medical providers find the correct diagnosis.
Prenatal
Before Birth
Newborn
Birth-4 weeks
Infant
1-23 months
Child Selected
2-11 years
Adolescent
12-18 years
Adult
19-65 years
Older Adult
65+ years
Symptoms may start to appear as a Child.
This information comes from Orphanet

Symptoms

This section is currently in development. 

Causes

What Causes This Disease?

Genetic Mutations

Autosomal dominant optic atrophy is caused by genetic mutations, also known as pathogenic variants. Genetic mutations can be hereditary, when parents pass them down to their children, or they may occur randomly when cells are dividing. Genetic mutations may also result from contracted viruses, environmental factors, such as UV radiation from sunlight exposure, or a combination of any of these. Learn more about genetic diseases from the National Library of Medicine (NLM).

If you suspect you may have this disease, you may want to start collecting your family health history. Information such as other family members who have had similar symptoms, when their/your symptoms first appeared, or exposures to any potential disease-causing environmental factors should be discussed with your medical team. This tool from the Surgeon General can help you collect your family health history.
Can This Disease Be Passed Down From Parent to Child?

Yes. It is possible for a biological parent to pass down genetic mutations that cause or increase the chances of getting this disease to their child. This is known as inheritance. Knowing whether other family members have previously had this disease, also known as family health history, can be very important information for your medical team. This tool from the Surgeon General can help you collect your family health history.

There are multiple ways, or patterns, a disease can be inherited depending on the gene(s) involved. Based on GARD's current data, this disease can be inherited in the following pattern(s):

Autosomal Dominant

Autosomal means the gene involved is located on one of the numbered chromosomes. Dominant means that a child only needs to inherit one copy of the mutated gene, from either biological parent, to be affected by the disease.

People affected by an autosomal dominant disease have a 50% chance of passing on the mutated gene to their biological child.

Learn more about inheritance patterns from the National Library of Medicine (NLM).

Find Your Community

How Can Patient Organizations Help?

Patient organizations can help patients and families connect. They build public awareness of the disease and are a driving force behind research to improve patients' lives. They may offer online and in-person resources to help people live well with their disease. Many collaborate with medical experts and researchers.

Services of patient organizations differ, but may include:

  • Ways to connect to others and share personal stories
  • Easy-to-read information
  • Up-to-date treatment and research information
  • Patient registries
  • Lists of specialists or specialty centers
  • Financial aid and travel resources

Please note: GARD provides organizations for informational purposes only and not as an endorsement of their services. Please contact an organization directly if you have questions about the information or resources it provides.

View GARD's criteria for including patient organizations, which can be found under the FAQs on our About page. Request an update or to have your organization added to GARD. 

Patient Organizations

9 Organizations

Organization Name

Who They Serve

Helpful Links

Country

Autosomal Dominant Optic Atrophy Association
People With

Autosomal dominant optic atrophy

Helpful Links
Country

United States

Cure ADOA Foundation
People With

Autosomal dominant optic atrophy

Helpful Links
Country

Netherlands

Prevent Blindness America
People With

Autosomal dominant optic atrophy

Helpful Links
Country

United States

MitoAction
People With

Mitochondrial diseases

Helpful Links
Country

United States

United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation
People With

Mitochondrial diseases

Helpful Links
Country

United States

EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases
People With

Rare Diseases

Helpful Links
Country

United States

Genetic Alliance
People With

Rare Diseases

Helpful Links
Country

United States

Global Genes
People With

Rare Diseases

Helpful Links
Country

United States

National Organization for Rare Disorders
People With

Rare Diseases

Helpful Links
Country

United States

Participating in Clinical Studies

Clinical studies are part of clinical research and play an important role in medical advances, including for rare diseases. Through clinical studies, researchers may ultimately uncover better ways to treat, prevent, diagnose, and understand human diseases.

What Are Clinical Studies?

Clinical studies are medical research involving people as participants. There are two main types of clinical studies:

  1. Clinical trials determine if a new test or treatment for a disease is effective and safe by comparing groups receiving different tests/treatments.
  2. Observational studies involve recording changes over time among a specific group of people in their natural settings.
Learn more about clinical trials from this U.S. Food & Drug Administration webpage.

Why Participate in Clinical Studies?

People participate in clinical trials for many reasons. People with a disease may participate to receive the newest possible treatment and additional care from clinical study staff as well as to help others living with the same or similar disease. Healthy volunteers may participate to help others and to contribute to moving science forward.

To find the right clinical study we recommend you consult your doctors, other trusted medical professionals, and patient organizations. Additionally, you can use ClinicalTrials.gov to search for clinical studies by disease, terms, or location.

What if There Are No Available Clinical Studies?

ResearchMatch helps connect people interested in research studies  with researchers from top medical centers across the United States. Anyone from the U.S. can register with this free program funded by NIH. Researchers from participating institutions use the database to search for and invite patients or healthy volunteers who meet their study criteria to participate.

Join the All of Us Research Program!

The All of Us Research Program is inviting 1 million people from all backgrounds across the U.S. to help build one of the most diverse health databases in history. Researchers will use the data to learn how our biology, lifestyle, and environment affect health. This may one day help them find ways to treat and prevent diseases.

What Are Clinical Studies?

Clinical studies are medical research involving people as participants. There are two main types of clinical studies:
  1. Clinical trials determine if a new test or treatment for a disease is effective and safe by comparing groups receiving different tests/treatments.
  2. Observational studies involve recording changes over time among a specific group of people in their natural settings.
Learn more about clinical trials from this U.S. Food & Drug Administration webpage.
Read More

Why Participate in Clinical Studies?

People participate in clinical trials for many reasons. People with a disease may participate to receive the newest possible treatment and additional care from clinical study staff as well as to help others living with the same or similar disease. Healthy volunteers may participate to help others and to contribute to moving science forward.

To find the right clinical study we recommend you consult your doctors, other trusted medical professionals, and patient organizations. Additionally, you can use ClinicalTrials.gov to search for clinical studies by disease, terms, or location.
Read More

What if There Are No Available Clinical Studies?

ResearchMatch helps connect people interested in research studies  with researchers from top medical centers across the United States. Anyone from the U.S. can register with this free program funded by NIH. Researchers from participating institutions use the database to search for and invite patients or healthy volunteers who meet their study criteria to participate.

Join the All of Us Research Program!

The All of Us Research Program is inviting 1 million people from all backgrounds across the U.S. to help build one of the most diverse health databases in history. Researchers will use the data to learn how our biology, lifestyle, and environment affect health. This may one day help them find ways to treat and prevent diseases.

ClinicalTrials.gov, an affiliate of NIH, provides current information on clinical research studies in the United States and abroad. Talk to a trusted doctor before choosing to participate in any clinical study. We recommend checking this site often and searching for studies with related terms/synonyms to improve results.
Search ClinicalTrials.gov for this disease
Contact a GARD Information Specialist if you need help finding more information on this rare disease or available clinical studies. Please note that GARD cannot enroll individuals in clinical studies. 
1-888-205-2311
Available toll-free Monday through Friday from 12 pm to 6 pm Eastern Time
(Except: Federal Holidays)
Contact GARD
Use the contact form to send your questions to a GARD Information Specialist.

Please allow 2 to 10 business days for us to respond.
ClinicalTrials.gov, an affiliate of NIH, provides current information on clinical research studies in the United States and abroad. Talk to a trusted doctor before choosing to participate in any clinical study. We recommend checking this site often and searching for studies with related terms/synonyms to improve results.
Search ClinicalTrials.gov for this disease
Contact a GARD Information Specialist if you need help finding more information on this rare disease or available clinical studies. Please note that GARD cannot enroll individuals in clinical studies. 
1-888-205-2311
Available toll-free Monday through Friday from 12 pm to 6 pm Eastern Time
(Except: Federal Holidays)
Contact GARD
Use the contact form to send your questions to a GARD Information Specialist.

Please allow 2 to 10 business days for us to respond.
About the Disease

Learn about symptoms, cause, support, and research for a rare disease. 

Getting a Diagnosis

Take steps toward getting a diagnosis by working with your doctor, finding the right specialists, and coordinating medical care.

Getting a Diagnosis

Take steps toward getting a diagnosis by working with your doctor, finding the right specialists, and coordinating medical care.

Last Updated: September 2024