Leber hereditary optic neuropathy – Therapeutic challenges and early promise

Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is the most common primary mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) disorder in the general population. It is an important cause of severe, usually irreversible, visual loss among young adults with a peak age of onset in the second and third decades of life. Management is currently mostly supportive but recent developments in LHON research are pointing the way towards more effective treatments for this blinding mitochondrial disorder.