Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Albinism medical therapy
Introduction
Overview
Overview
The management of cutaneous and ocular manifestations of albinism include avoidance of prolonged sun exposure, periodic dermatologist evaluation for skin cancer, corrective lenses for refractive errors, tinted lenses/glasses for photophobia, bifocal or low-vision aids in older children, eye-patching in infants for reduction of strabismus, contact lenses or eye surgery in presence of nystagmus. Additionally, nitisinone can be used to improve pigmentation in OCA1.
Medical therapy
Medical therapy
- Management of cutaneous features: [1][2]
- Avoidance of prolonged sun exposure
- Avoidance of medications that increase photosensitivity
- Upon sun exposure, application of sunscreen with at least SPF 30+ every 2 hours is recommended
- Periodic dermatologist evaluation is recommended for detection of skin cancer
- Nitisinone increases the level of tyrosine and improve pigmentation in OCA1
- Management of ocular features:[3]
- Refractive errors should be treated by corrective lenses
- Tinted lenses/glasses can be used to reduce photophobia
- Bifocal or low-vision aids can be used in older children and adults
- Eye-patching can be used in infants to reduce strabismus
- Contact lenses or eye surgery may be required in presence of nystagmus
References
References
- ↑ “Albinism – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf”.
- ↑ Marçon CR, Maia M (2019). “Albinism: epidemiology, genetics, cutaneous characterization, psychosocial factors”. An Bras Dermatol. 94 (5): 503–520. doi:10.1016/j.abd.2019.09.023. PMC 6857599 Check
|pmc=value (help). PMID 31777350. - ↑ Grønskov K, Ek J, Brondum-Nielsen K (2007). “Oculocutaneous albinism”. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2: 43. doi:10.1186/1750-1172-2-43. PMC 2211462. PMID 17980020.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Shadan Mehraban, M.D.[2]