The lens and cornea of the eye are transparent because they contain no blood vessels. In a developing fetus the lens does contain blood vessels, but they disappear before birth. In a rare disorder called persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous, these vessels fail to disappear, and interfere with the vision of the infant. Associate Professor Barkur Shastry, of the Department of Biological Sciences, published a review article in the December 2009 issue of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology (Volume 37, Pages 884-890) titled “Persistent Hyperplastic Primary Vitreous: Congenital Malformation of the Eye.” Shastry surveys the molecular genetics of the disease and focuses on potential genes that may be responsible for the disorder. He concludes that "identification of other candidate genes in the future may provide a better understanding of the steps involved in the development of the disorder that may in turn lead to a better management of the condition."