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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffBecause albinism is a genetic disorder, treatment is limited. Your child will most likely need to wear prescription lenses, which provide improvements in vision, and he or she should receive annual examinations by an ophthalmologist.
Although surgery is rarely part of treatment for albinism, your ophthalmologist may recommend surgery on optical muscles that minimizes nystagmus. Surgery to correct strabismus may make the condition less noticeable, but it won't improve vision.
Your doctor will also conduct an annual assessment of your child's skin to screen for skin cancer or lesions that can lead to cancer. Adults with albinism need annual eye and skin exams throughout their lives.
People with Hermansky-Pudlak and Chediak-Higashi syndromes usually require regular specialized care to prevent complications.
- Hornyak TJ. Albinism and other genetic disorders of pigmentation. In: Wolff K, et al. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2959771. Accessed Feb. 21, 2011.
- Albinism. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/print/sec10/ch123/ch123b.html. Accessed Feb. 19, 2011.
- Gronskov K, et al. Oculocutaneous albinism. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases. 2007;2:43.
- What is albinism? National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH). http://www.albinism.org/publications/2010/What_is_Albinism.pdf. Accessed Feb. 19, 2011.
- Summers CG. Albinism: Classification, clinical characteristics, and recent findings. Optometry and Vision Science. 2009;86:659.
- Oculocutaneous albinism. Genetics Home Reference. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/oculocutaneous-albinism/show/print. Accessed Feb. 21, 2011.
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