Neurological genetics is the study of the genetic causes of neurological diseases, which can affect either central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) or the peripheral nervous system. Ophthalmological genetics is the study of the genes responsible for ocular genetic disorders. Because the neural part of the retina is an extension of the brain, many neurological disorders have an ocular component. To develop new ways of treating both diseases, scientists study the developmental, metabolic and environmental factors regulating the expression of the genes involved in the diseases.

The mammalian eye is a complex organ that develops from mesoderm, ectoderm, and endoderm, and contains multiple cell types including neuronal cells. Inherited eye diseases are the main cause of blindness in the developed countries and although they can affect all parts of the eye (including the lens, cornea and optic nerve), retinal disorders are...