Albinism Treatments

Treatment

There is no cure for albinism. Treatment is aimed at preventing or limiting symptoms. In some cases, specific treatment for certain symptoms is needed.

Preventive Treatment

Preventive treatment may include:

Protect the skin:
- Sunburn and skin cancer risks can be reduced by avoiding the sun as much as possible
- Wear sunscreen with high SPF,15 or higher
- Cover as much skin as possible with clothing when exposed to the sun
Protect the eyes:
- Wear sunglasses with UV protection whenever exposed to the sun
- Sunglasses (UV protected) may relieve photophobia

Specific Treatment of Symptoms

Specific treatment of symptoms for albinism may include:

For eyes:
- Glasses, contacts, and/or optical aids to help improve vision
- Surgery to correct certain eye problems, including crossed eyes or “lazy” eye
- Visual aids (in the classroom) to help children with albinism
For skin:
- Surgery to treat and/or remove skin cancer , if necessary

These treatments may be of special importance in Africa where the World Health Organization estimates that thousands of affected individuals live without access to important medical and preventive care.

Studies in mice with genetic forms of albinism suggest that gene transfer may prevent visual disturbances. Whether these results may someday be applied to people with ocular albinism remains to be seen.