Albinism is a congenital disorder characterized by the complete or partial absence of pigment called melanin in the skin, hair and eyes,also called as hypopigmentation, oculocutaneous albinism or ocular albinism.
Autosomal recessive type of inherited disorder....................
Albinism is an inherited defect affecting melanin production and metabolism.
Melanin is a naturally occurring pigment,it is responsible for the color of our skin,hair and eyes.
It protects the skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet light. Therefore, people in t tropics are darker as their sun exposure is more, in comparison
to people who live in temperate climates, the body becomes pale
and white if the gene encrypting this pigment is defective.
People who are affected by albinism are called albinos. They have absence of color in the hair, skin, or iris of the eye; or lighter than normal skin and hair. Lack of skin pigmentation makes albinos more susceptible to sunburn and skin cancers. Vision problems like extreme far-sightedness or near-sightedness are common in people with albinism.
There is no cure for albinism. Treatment is aimed to ease the symptoms. Treatment of the eye conditions consists of visual rehabilitation. It is important that albinos use sunscreen before sun exposure to prevent premature skin aging or skin cancer.
There is no known way to prevent albinism. Genetic counseling should be considered for individuals with a family history of albinism or hypopigmentation
