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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Can medications treat the symptoms of albinism?

    Related Topics
    Albinism Congenital & Genetic Conditions
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    • Albinism Fellowship of Australia
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    Albinism Fellowship of Australia

    The Albinism Fellowship of Australia (AFA) is a national, non-profit organization established in 2005. The AFA is a registered charity. The fellowship is run by … View Profile

    There is currently a trial underway in teh USA using L-DOPA which is looking at whether this can improve vision in people with albinism by increasing availability of one of the ingredients of the pigment melanin. The results aren't available yet but we are awaiting the outcome with great interest. 
    http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01176435

    There have previously been trials of medications to reduce nystagmus, which is one of the contributors to low vision in albinism, specifically memantine and gabapentin. The results of this trial suggest an improvement, but it is important to keep in mind that this is one relatively small trial. Use of these medications for this purpose is off label and if you are interested, you should talk to your medical practitioner. Anecdotally, while these medications may result in an improvement in vision, their side effect profile can limit their usefulness 
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/17279539/


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