title: Change in visual acuity in albinism in the early school years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether binocular best-corrected visual acuity (B-BCVA) improves in the early school years in patients with albinism and whether this is related to type of albinism, ocular pigment, or appearance of the macula.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with albinism seen between 5.5 and 9 years (Visit A) and 9.5 and 14 years of age (Visit B), with visits separated by at least 2.5 years, were included. Type of albinism, B-BCVA, glasses wear, iris pigment and macular transparency grade, and presence or absence of an annular reflex and melanin in the macula were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean B-BCVA was 20/84 at Visit A and 20/61 at Visit B (P < .001). B-BCVA improved in 80%. Improvement in B-BCVA and glasses wear, iris grade, macular grade, macular melanin, and annular reflex were weakly correlated. However, a moderate correlation was found between measured B-BCVA and iris grade at Visit A (r = 0.485, P < .001) and Visit B (r = 0.467, P < .001), and the presence of macular melanin at Visit A (r = 0.436, P < .001) and Visit B (r = 0.482, P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  B-BCVA often improves in albinism in the early school years and this observation should be included in counseling. The etiology is unknown but may be related to change in nystagmus, use of precise null point, developmental maturation, and/or some of the ocular characteristics evaluated in this study.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Minnesota, Mayo Mail Code 493, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
authors: Johanna M
authors: JM
authors: Dijkstal
authors: San-San
authors: SS
authors: Cooley
authors: Ann M
authors: AM
authors: Holleschau
authors: Richard A
authors: RA
authors: King
authors: C Gail
authors: CG
authors: Summers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016117:Albinism, Ocular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016115:Albinism, Oculocutaneous / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002609:Chediak-Higashi Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004596:Electroretinography; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual; D005260:Female; D022861:Hermanski-Pudlak Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008543:Melanins / Q000378:metabolism; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism; D015348:Vision, Binocular / Q000502:physiology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins