Albinism Medication

  • Author: Mounir Bashour, MD, CM, FRCS(C), PhD, FACS; Chief Editor: Hampton Roy Sr, MD   more...
 
Updated: Apr 10, 2012
 
 

Medication Summary

No effective medical treatment of albinism is currently available. Nitisinone, which is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating hereditary tyrosinemia type 1, elevates plasma tyrosine levels and increases eye and hair pigmentation. Nitisinone may soon be a potential treatment for people with ocular albinism.[9, 10]

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Mounir Bashour, MD, CM, FRCS(C), PhD, FACS  Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, McGill University; Clinical Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Sherbrooke University; Medical Director, Cornea Laser and Lasik MD

Mounir Bashour, MD, CM, FRCS(C), PhD, FACS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, American College of International Physicians, American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Biomedical Engineering Society, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Ophthalmological Society, Contact Lens Association of Ophthalmologists, International College of Surgeons US Section, Ontario Medical Association, Quebec Medical Association, and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Khalid Hasanee, MD  Glaucoma and Anterior Segment Fellow, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Toronto

Khalid Hasanee, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Ophthalmological Society, and Ontario Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Iqbal Ike K Ahmed, MD, FRCSC  Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Utah

Iqbal Ike K Ahmed, MD, FRCSC is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Canadian Ophthalmological Society, and Ontario Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Gerhard W Cibis, MD  Clinical Professor, Director of Pediatric Ophthalmology Service, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Kansas School of Medicine

Gerhard W Cibis, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, and American Ophthalmological Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

J James Rowsey, MD  Former Director of Corneal Services, St Luke's Cataract and Laser Institute

J James Rowsey, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Medical Association, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Florida Medical Association, Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology, Sigma Xi, and Southern Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Lance L Brown, OD, MD  Ophthalmologist, Affiliated With Freeman Hospital and St John's Hospital, Regional Eye Center, Joplin, Missouri

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Hampton Roy Sr, MD  Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Hampton Roy Sr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American College of Surgeons, and Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

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Table 1. Oculocutaneous Albinism Types
OCA SubtypesGene PositionAffected Protein
OCA 1
  • OCA 1A (tyrosinase-negative OCA)
  • OCA 1B (yellow-mutant/Amish/
  • xanthous, temperature-sensitive)
  • OCA 1A/1B heterozygote
11q14-21Tyrosinase
OCA 2



(tyrosinase-positive OCA, brown OCA)



15q11-13P protein
OCA 39p23Tyrosinase-related protein
Table 2. Ocular Albinism Types
OA SubtypesGene PositionAffected Protein
OA 1 (X-linked recessive OA/Nettleshop-Falls type)X p22.3-22.2The protein product of the OA 1 gene named OA 1 (and also identified as GPR143 in GenBank)[2, 3]
AROANot a distinct positionTyrosinase in some cases;



P protein in some cases



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