![]() Most of the visual pathway develops up to the age of 8 years though further changes can be observed into adulthood. When a baby is born, their eyes and brain work together to build a visual pathway that allows the brain to process visual information collected from the eyes. It is important to note that visual symptoms experienced by children with albinism are highly variable, and visual function does not tend to deteriorate over time. Strabismus/squint (abnormal alignment of the eyes when looking at an object).Sensitivity to bright light (photophobia).Poor vision due to multiple factors (nystagmus, under-development of the fovea or foveal hypoplasia, abnormal development of the nerve fibres connecting the eye and the brain, reduced depth perception, difficulty focusing an image which require glasses to correct).Infantile nystagmus– rapid, involuntary eye movements that usually move horizontally children usually have blurred vision and issues with depth perception as a result of the eye movements but they DO NOT see the world moving.Most parents of children with albinism usually notice the following features from birth or shortly after which may prompt them to seek medical attention: The condition Symptoms 1) Abnormal visual behaviour Ocular Albinism (OA) – The lack of melanin production is only limited to the eyes skin tone and hair colour are usually of expected pigmentation when compared to other family membersĪlthough there is no treatment currently, individuals affected by it can take several steps to optimise their vision and reduce the risk of skin cancer development.Oculocutaneous Albinism (OCA) – This is the more common form of albinism with varying degrees of eyes, skin and hair involvement. ![]() However, the severity of these symptoms is highly variable, and some may have relatively good vision with minimal or no nystagmus. As melanin is also crucial in the development of various structures in the eye, including the neural connections to the brain, individuals affected by albinism usually have poor vision, nystagmus and light sensitivity (photophobia). As a result, patients tend to present with lighter skin tone and hair colour (compared to family members), very light-coloured iris, sensitivity to sun exposure (get sunburnt easily) and increased risk of developing skin cancer. It is caused by mutations in one of 18 genes that leads to reduced or no production of melanin, a pigment which determines the colour of our skin, hair, and eyes. Albinism is an inherited condition that affects approximately 1 in 5,000 to 1 in 17,000 people.
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