In both our patients and VSX2-associated microphthalmia, we observed common upregulation of ECM components such as collagen and laminin family proteins, fibronectin, and hyaluronan and proteoglycan-link proteins that play significant roles in eye development (Phillips et al., 2014; Casey et al., 2021; Turksen et al., 1985). This evidence concerns the gene VSX2 and microphthalmia.