Apart from regulating cell proliferation, CDKN2A and CDKN2B also promote p53-dependent apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest in the retina and RPE previously associated with animal models of microphthalmia (Takeda et al., 2015; Chaum et al., 2015; Xia et al., 2021; Hannon and Beach, 1994; Rodrigues et al., 2013). Here, TP53 is linked to microphthalmia.