Albinism can be any one of a number of genetic conditions that cause a lack of pigment in the eyes, skin and hair of sufferers.
Vision Problems:
In order to develop correctly, human eyes require a pigment called melanin. The lack of this pigment often leads to visual problems.
Nystagmus (Pronounced nye-STAG-muss) is an uncontrollable shifting of the eyes common to albinism sufferers. Changing the position of one's head can often help alleviate this problem.
Strabismus (Pronounced strah-BIZZ-muss) is a condition in which the eyes cannot focus together. This often causes problems with depth perception.
Although blindness is rare as a result of albinism, lens vision correction such as glasses and contact lenses are rarely 100% effective in treating albinism-related vision problems.
Other Problems:
Melanin also protects the skin and in areas of intense ultraviolet or sunlight. Lack of this pigment can cause people to become prone to sunburns and other skin problems including certain skin cancers.
A deficit of melanin in the eye allows more ambient light to enter the eye, which can be uncomfortable for albinism sufferers. This is known as photophobia, literally the fear of light. Photophobia often limits the intensity of light a sufferer can withstand although it does not completely prohibit sun exposure.
The worst problem that albinism sufferers face is social alienation. Often people with albinism feel different from others because of how they look.
Albinism's Symptoms and Characteristics:
