A lack of melanin causes the symptoms of albinism, and there is not an effective cure to fix it, but there are many ways to manage it.
For the eyes, there are lenses that help provide a little bit of visual improvement. Unfortunately, the lenses only provide a limited amount of improvement. There are also lenses that are tinted and help with photophobia. People with albinism are encouraged to use a type of barrier protection to block ultraviolet radiation. At school, work, and home, low-vision aids are helpful to increase sight. For example, people who have albinism often use small telescopes to view the chalk board at school. Surgery can be performed to try to correct involuntary eye movements and focusing problems, but it is not always effective.
For treatment of the skin, regular visits to a dermatologist are recommended. People with albinism use sunscreen with an SPF 20 or higher to prevent sun-related health problems. They also have to wear clothing, hats, and visors to help keep their skin protected.
For people with HPS, Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, aspirin should be avoided because it can reduce clotting. People should tell their dentist about having HPS before having any work done. It is recommended by some physicians to wear a medical alert bracelet for the bleeding disorder.
For strabismus, people can have surgery that will help change their appearance, but the surgery won’t necessarily help improve their vision. With children, doctors will have them wear an eye patch on the stronger eye to try to improve the vision in the weaker eye.
Sources
"Albinism." (care and treatment) Optician, Feb 24, 2006 p43. Science Resource Center. Gale. 26 October 2009 <http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/SciRC?ste=1&docNum=A142561399>
"Albinism." World of Genetics. Ed. K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner. Online. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2007. Science Resource Center. Gale. 26 October 2009 <http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/SciRC?ste=1&docNum=CV2433500009>