An albino person’s body has difficulty producing a pigment known as melanin. The substance in the body called pigment is what produces colour. People who have albinism have less or no pigment in their skin, hair, or eyes.
There are two basic kinds of albinism, both of which result in low vision and other vision issues. Oculocutaneous albinism, or OCA, is one kind of albinism. OCA results in a person having less pigment in their skin, hair, and eyes.
Ocular albinism is the second kind of albinism. The eyes are mainly affected by ocular albinism. The colour of the skin and hair is normal or nearly normal. Because a child with ocular albinism may not appear to be different from other children, eye issues could be one of the condition’s initial signs.
A genetic mutation that results in albinism is typically passed down from parents to children. The mutation prevents melanin, the pigment that shields the skin from UV radiation, from being produced normally. The healthy development of the eye depends on melanin as well. The retina and the optic nerve might not form properly without melanin. Images are transmitted to the brain with the aid of the optic nerve fibres and retina, the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye.
Numerous eye issues are brought on by albinism. Not all albinos have skin or hair that is obviously devoid of colour. Thus, eye issues could be the first indication of albinism.
Nystagmus (when someone’s eyes move quickly and uncontrollably) is one of the symptoms. Strabismus (misaligned eyes) (misaligned eyes), Photophobia, sensitivity to bright light, refractive defects (such as hyperopia for the farsighted, myopia for the nearsighted, and astigmatism), monocular perception (relying on vision in one eye only), When the retina does not develop normally before birth and during infancy, it is known as foveal hypoplasia. An issue with the iris and the optic nerve.
Albinos can range from having normal vision to having severely impaired vision. Frequently, near eyesight is better to distant vision. Usually, people with the least pigment have the worse eyesight.
Genetic inheritance causes albinism. Typically, for a child to have albinism, both parents must be carriers of the gene. Because the albinism gene is recessive, a kid must inherit a copy from each parent in order to develop the condition. A child will not experience albinism symptoms if they get the gene from only one parent. With each pregnancy, there is a one in four risk that the child may be born with albinism if both parents contain the gene.
X-linked ocular albinism is one kind of albinism that is often inherited from the mother. In this instance, one X chromosome houses the albinism gene. Males have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, while females have two X chromosomes. Ocular albinism that is X-linked virtually always affects men. Mothers, who carry the gene without having the disorder, pass it on to their sons. Most of the mothers have normal vision. There is a one in two probability that a child of a mother who possesses the gene will be born with X-linked ocular albinism.
About 17,000 births result in albinism.
An ophthalmologist will do a complete eye exam on you to identify albinism. He or she will be on the lookout for photophobia, strabismus, and nystagmus. Even if one of these symptoms exists by itself, albinism is not always present. The retina and iris will also be examined by an ophthalmologist to determine whether they have grown appropriately. Albinism has no known treatments. Some diseases that albinos experience, though, are treatable.
Other albinism-related disorders can be controlled.
For instance, surgery or glasses may be used to cure strabismus. Additionally, glasses can lessen light sensitivity and aid in eyesight improvement. Low vision aids, such as hand-held magnifiers, can be useful for kids with low vision. For older toddlers and adults, glasses with tiny telescopes attached are useful. These glasses can improve both near- and far-sightedness.
Working together, parents, pupils, and instructors can assist an albino child. In the classroom, it is crucial to think about the seating, lighting, and visual aids. These may facilitate learning for an albino child.
Children and adults with albinism can benefit from peer support groups. By learning helpful attitudes and coping mechanisms from other people with low vision, these groups can help the individual feel less alone and provide essential resource information.
At The Eye Center- Dr. Mahnaz Naveed Shah & Associates our team of eight ophthalmology subspecialists/ eye specialists, eye surgeons who are considered amongst the very best eye specialists in Karachi and in Pakistan, have the diagnostic and treatment capabilities to treat from the simplest to the most complex patients. We work hard to provide our patients with the best possible medical and surgical eye care, in a state of the art purpose built eye care facility. We offer the entire array of medical, laser and surgical treatments to help provide patients the best possible care in the most efficient, safe and ethical manner.
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