Albinism is caused by a genetic mutation that is passed from parents to child. The mutation disrupts the production of melanin, the pigment that protects the skin from UV rays. Melanin is also important for the proper development of the eye. Without melanin, the retina, the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye, and optic nerve fibers, which relay images to the brain, may not develop properly.
Image reprinted, with permission, from Against-Jaffe T, Focal Points, Introductory Genetics for the Ophthalmologist, American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2005.
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