How will this affect my child or me? (Continued)

  • Optical aids will be helpful. Seek assistance from a Low Vision Specialist to determine which aids will be best suited for your individual needs.
  • Utilize a white cane to assist in determining drop-offs on curbs and stairs.

Classroom seating adjustments should be considered.

  • Seat the child in the front row.
  • Location should avoid glare from a side window or the lighting from above.
  • Avoid shadows.
  • Overhead projectors will be challenging to see due to glare.
  • Large Print materials may be needed. This will depend on each individual child.
  • Materials should have high contrast.
  • When using a CCTV (closed circuit television), it is helpful to have the screen on the reverse polarity setting. This places white letters on a black background and can reduce the amount of glare the student is receiving.
  • Think about the child’s social needs when determining what adjustments need to occur at school and which can be done at home.

Treatments for Albinism

Although most vision problems associated with albinism cannot be fully cured, many can be treated with normal or special eyeglasses.

Treatments (Continued)

  • Nystagmus (twitching) can be partially corrected with contact lenses or surgery. Operations on the muscles that control eye movement can reduce twitching and improve vision. Other simpler methods can be used, such as head tilts or closing the offending eye.
  • The weaknesses associated with strabismus (weakness of the muscle controlling eye movement) can be remedied with therapies beginning at about six months. A preferred method of therapy is eye patching the preferred eye to promote development of the underdeveloped. Muscle surgery has proved to be only partially effective at vision correction, although it is very effective at fixing the "Lazy Eye" that is sometimes associated with strabismus.
  • Photophobia is usually addressed by prescribing dark or tint-adjusting lenses for exposure to bright lights. However, many patients prefer just to wear a hat or visor.

Resources

Alan, R. (2005). Albinism. Retrieved July, 2008, from

King, R., & Summers, C.G., & Haefemeyer, J., & LeRoy, B. (n.d.). Facts about Albinism. Retrieved July 2008, from

Oetting, W. (2002). New insights into ocular albinism type 1 (OA1): Mutations and polymorphisms of the OA1 gene. Retrieved July, 2008, from

Windsor, R., & Windor, L. (2004). Albinism: Low Vision Considerations. Retrieved July 2008, from

Albinism. (n.d.). Retrieved July 2008, from

Albinism. (n.d.). Retrieved July 2008, from

Ocular Albinism. (n.d.). Retrieved July 2008, from The National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation website:

Ocular Albinism. (2008). Retrieved July 2008, from

Treatment of Albinism. (n.d.). Retrieved July 2008, from

Albinism

Information

Deborah Brruening

Amy Hansen

Cori McGehee

Luci Pool

Helpful Websites:

Ocular Albinism...simply defined!

Ocular albinism in an inherited condition in which the eyes lack melanin pigment. The skin and hair show normal or near-normal coloration. Albinism is present at birth, and it is usually diagnosed based on the infant's appearance. If necessary, genetic testing can be done to confirm a diagnosis, but this is not routinely done.

Why is pigment important to our vision?

The lack of pigment during the development of the eye causes an abnormal development of the retina and affects the formation of the nerve pathways from the eyes to the brain, which causes decreased visual acuity or low vision that cannot be corrected to 20/20. Adults with albinism often describe their vision as lacking fine detail.

The lack of pigment in the eyes causes various vision problems:

  • Reduced visual acuity from 20/60 to 20/400 and sometimes as good as 20/25 in African-Americans
  • Nystagmus - involuntary back-and-forth movement of the eyes,
  • Strabismus - crossed eyes or "lazy" eye
  • Photophobia - sensitivity to bright light and glare.

Visual System Affected by Albinism

There are a number of components of the visual system affected, depending on the severity of the problem:

  • Iris– The colored part of the eye is called the iris. A reduction in coloring (pigmentation) of the iris,and the retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye can result in a condition called photophobia. Pigmentation in the eye is essential for normal vision.
  • Retina – The retina is responsible for capturing light rays that enter the eye. These light impulses are then sent to the brain, via the optic nerve. The lack of pigment during the development of the eye causes an abnormal development of the retina and affects the formation of the nerve pathways from the eyes to the brain. Adults with albinism often describe their vision as lacking fine detail.
  • Fovea – The fovea is the center most part of the macula and is responsible for our central, sharpest vision. It has a high concentration of cones (photoreceptors) that allow you to appreciate color. With ocular albinism, the fovea does not develop completely, presumably because melanin pigment is needed for the growth processes that normally occur before birth. Therefore the eye cannot process sharp light images or color.
  • Nerves - The nerves from the back of the eye to the brain do not follow the usually pattern of routing. From the normal eye, nerve fibers go to both sides of the brain, that is, the same side as the eye and the side opposite from the eye. From the eye with ocular albinism, more of the nerve fibers cross from the eye to the opposite side of the brain.
  • Muscles- The extrinsic muscles of the eye come from the bones of the orbit and are movable due to broad tendons in the eye's tough outer surface. There are six such muscles that function to move the eye in various directions and, although any given eye movement may involve more than one of them, each muscle is associated with one primary action. As a result, the eyes move together so that they are aligned when looking at something. A person whose eyes are not coordinated well enough to produce this alignment is said to have "strabismus".

How will this affect my child or me?

The extent of albinism can differ between each person with this condition. Here are some things that you may need to keep in mind when living with albinism.

  • Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen year around and adequate clothes for outside tasks.
  • Wear sunglasses to help with photophobia and glare.