Application of Mendelian randomization in ophthalmology and other medical fields

In recent years, the application of Mendelian randomization has become more and more widely in the world. By taking genes as instrumental variables, it can eliminate the interference of confounding factors and reverse causality in the system, and effectively judge the causal correlation between exposure factors and outcomes, which has a unique advantage for etiological exploration in the medical field. This article reviews the application of Mendelian randomization in ophthalmology and provides new ideas for the development of correlational and causal studies in Ophthalmology. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2021, 57: 791-795).