On Oct. 21, 2003, scientists at Oregon Health Sciences University’s (OHSU) Casey Eye Institute announced they had found a gene mutation that appeared to be associated with age-related macular degeneration, a major cause of blindness among the elderly affecting between 4 percent and 5 percent of people older than 65 years.

The study was led by Dennis W. Schultz, Ph.D., research assistant professor of ophthalmology at Casey Eye Institute.