eMedicine Specialties > Ophthalmology > Ophthalmology for the General Practitioner

Ocular Manifestations of Albinism: Follow-up

Author: Mohammed O Peracha, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University
Coauthor(s): Frances M Cosgrove, MD, Resident Physician, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine; Enrique Garcia-Valenzuela, MD, PhD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary; Consulting Staff, Vitreo-Retinal Surgery, Midwest Retina Consultants, SC, Parkside Center; Dean Eliott, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Division of Vitreoretinal Surgery, Kresge Eye Institute, Wayne State University
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Oct 13, 2008

Follow-up

Further Outpatient Care

  • Examine patients with oculocutaneous albinism and ocular albinism periodically to monitor their visual development and to assess the status of their refractive error and/or strabismus.

Deterrence/Prevention

  • Since there is an increased risk of skin cancer in these patients, they should be advised to use skin tanning lotion and proper clothing for protection against exposure to sunlight.

Prognosis

  • Visual prognosis in patients with albinism is quite variable. Usually, no improvement in visual acuity occurs in patients with type I oculocutaneous albinism. Visual acuity may improve with increased pigmentation in other forms of albinism as the patient grows older.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • Since some forms of albinism can have increased mortality, it is imperative that these patients be referred to proper subspecialists.
    • Any patient with a history of easy bruising and bleeding problems or with a history of frequent infections should be referred for a hematology consultation to rule out Hermansky-Pudlak and Chediak-Higashi syndrome, respectively.
    • Similarly, any patient with abnormal skin lesions should be referred to dermatology to rule out any form of skin cancer.
    • Genetic counseling for patients and their families is advisable.
 


More on Ocular Manifestations of Albinism

Overview: Ocular Manifestations of Albinism
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Ocular Manifestations of Albinism
Treatment & Medication: Ocular Manifestations of Albinism
Follow-up: Ocular Manifestations of Albinism
References
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References

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Further Reading

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Keywords

ocular manifestations of albinism, albinism, ocular albinism, oculocutaneous albinism, melanin, pigmentation abnormality

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Mohammed O Peracha, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Frances M Cosgrove, MD, Resident Physician, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine
Frances M Cosgrove, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology and Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Enrique Garcia-Valenzuela, MD, PhD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary; Consulting Staff, Vitreo-Retinal Surgery, Midwest Retina Consultants, SC, Parkside Center
Enrique Garcia-Valenzuela, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Retina Specialists, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Retina Society, and Society for Neuroscience
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Dean Eliott, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Division of Vitreoretinal Surgery, Kresge Eye Institute, Wayne State University
Dean Eliott, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology and American Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Kilbourn Gordon III, MD, FACEP, Urgent Care Physician
Kilbourn Gordon III, MD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology and Wilderness Medical Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

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

CME Editor

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.

 
 
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