It Might Be In Your Genes!

What’s your family disorder (abnormalities) heritage? While doctors cannot predict 100% of the time you or your descendants will have certain disorders, the predisposition to some seem to be genetic in nature, depending on your combination of inherited DNA genes. I have listed some of the patterns or tendencies towards inherited conditions that I've observed in our family tree, both mine and my husband's below. 

Which makes me curious to know where I inherited my pigmentary glaucoma from, because I’ve never heard of any ancestor who has had this disorder. It’s a birth defect. Mom said she really messed me up! LOL! I also have several other conditions that I live with on a daily basis. The blue eyes I was born with will eventually turn brown. Right now they are a hazel color.

Two national health months that have come into my horizon (I'm sure there are many more) is January which is National Glaucoma Month and October which is National Breast Cancer Month. Just like you get your breast exams in October (men shouldn’t be excluded from this as they also can get breast cancer), so January should be your month to get your eye exams, so add them to your planner.


I was diagnosed several years ago with the pigmentary glaucoma. It usually pops up in a persons' middle age and mine did too, right on schedule. It’s a fairly rare disorder I’m told. My eye doctor told me to think of it this way = 100% is the population of the United States = 5% of that 100% have some type of glaucoma, whether they are aware of it or not. 1% of that 5% of all glaucoma patients have my type of glaucoma. And just recently one of my sisters was told she is losing the pigment cells in her irises, a precursor to this condition, since then, she has been diagnosed with macular telangiectasia, a retinal eye disorder and has been enrolled in the Mac Tel Project study (link below). 

I don’t live my life as a hypochondriac in fear, but I’ve become more aware of the physical legacy handed down from my ancestors. I’ve also told our son of the disorders and diseases (infectious) that we know about, so that he can inform his doctor should anything crop up. If you are one of my relatives and know of an ancestor or of another descendant in our generation who has or might have had this eye condition, please drop me a line in the comment section below. 

If you are healthy, Thank God for it! 

Dolores' crooked pinky! 

Update: Scientists found something huge that all blue-eyed people have in common!

Update: Since some members of our family have taken their DNA tests (click here to learn more), we've learned of two adopted-out family members. I have interviewed several of our cousins via email during the updating of this article and some of the disorders below are ones that have been observed being passed down through the generations. 

HER MATERNAL SIDE: addictions, allergies (environmental & food), big bones, blue eyes, bipolar, cleft lip and palate, gallstones & gallbladder removal, depression, diabetes, hypoglycemia, neuropathy, pacemaker, (possible Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, both parents have to be carriers), senior dementia, sleep apnea plus nocturnal hypoxia, skin barnacles or seborrheic keratosis, stroke, widow's peak hairline,

HER PATERNAL SIDE: ADD, allergies, baldness, blue eyes, Bright's disease, cancer, color blindness, early grey hair, medium sized bones, glaucoma plus super nuclear palsy, lazy eye, leukemia, metal allergies, nearsightedness, (possible Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, both parents have to be carriers), senior hearing loss, sleep apnea, stroke, Type 1.5 Chiari Malformation, Syringomyelia, a retroflexed odontoid plus Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, XXX Syndrome

UNKNOWN: AB positive, anemia, asthma, astigmatism, clinodactyly (crooked pinkies), colitis (autoimmune disorder), extra vertebra (L-6), fructose malabsorption, gastritis/GERD, lactose malabsorption, osteoarthritis, macular telangiectasia (MacTel Project) pigmentary glaucoma,  congenital short leg (1/2"), situs inversus dextrocardia (rare),  straight-neck syndrome, segmental vitiligo (autoimmune disorder), ulcer 

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HIS MATERNAL SIDE: allergies, endometriosis, male pattern baldness, gallbladder removal, hypertension, nearsightedness, pancreatic cancer, scoliosis, 

HIS PATERNAL SIDE: appendix ruptures, camptodactyly (bent pinkies), complex febrile seizures, diabetes; neuropathy, O negative, one first cousin has "complete heterochromia" (two different colored eyes), pancreatitis, skin barnacles or seborrheic keratosis

UNKNOWN: chest bone abnormalities, eczema, Osgood-Schlatter,  straight neck syndrome, strawberry hemangioma birthmark, sleep apnea; 

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More to Read:
Old Names of Diseases 

Compiled by Dolores J. Rush, Updated: 6/9/2022.