title: Refractive errors in Cameroonians diagnosed with complete oculocutaneous albinism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Albinism causes significant eye morbidity and amblyopia in children. The aim of this study was to determine the refractive state in patients with complete oculocutaneous albinism who were treated at the Gynaeco-Obstetric and Paediatric Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon and evaluate its effect on vision.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out this retrospective study at the ophthalmology unit of our hospital. All oculocutaneous albino patients who were treated between March 1, 2003 and December 31, 2011 were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-five patients (70 eyes) diagnosed with complete oculocutaneous albinism were enrolled. Myopic astigmatism was the most common refractive error (40%). Compared with myopic patients, those with myopic astigmatism and hypermetropic astigmatism were four and ten times less likely, respectively, to demonstrate significant improvement in distance visual acuity following optical correction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Managing refractive errors is an important way to reduce eye morbidity-associated low vision in oculocutaneous albino patients.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon ; Yaoundé Gynaeco-Obstetric and Paediatric Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: André Omgbwa
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Eballé
authors.forename: Côme Ebana
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Mvogo
authors.forename: Christelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Noche
authors.forename: Marie Evodie Akono
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Zoua
authors.forename: Andin Viola
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Dohvoma
keywords: Cameroon; albinism; refraction; visual acuity
references.citation: Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2007 Nov 02;2:43
references.pmid: 17980020
references.citation: Optom Vis Sci. 1992 Aug;69(8):623-8
references.pmid: 1513558
references.citation: Sante. 1999 Mar-Apr;9(2):89-91
references.pmid: 10377495
references.citation: Trans Am Ophthalmol Soc. 1996;94:1095-155
references.pmid: 8981720
references.citation: Doc Ophthalmol. 1984 Feb 29;56(4):337-44
references.pmid: 6425027
references.citation: Vision Res. 2010 Apr 7;50(8):810-7
references.pmid: 20149815
references.citation: Klin Monbl Augenheilkd. 1987 Nov;191(5):397-402
references.pmid: 3431012
references.citation: J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 1986 Mar-Apr;23(2):58-63
references.pmid: 3958871
references.citation: Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 1984;4(1):3-13
references.pmid: 6709367
references.citation: Sante. 2010 Jan-Mar;20(1):35-9
references.pmid: 20348057
references.citation: Vision Res. 1988;28(9):979-90
references.pmid: 3254652
references.citation: Metab Pediatr Syst Ophthalmol (1985). 1994;17(1-4):5-9
references.pmid: 8719278
references.citation: J AAPOS. 2004 Dec;8(6):515-20
references.pmid: 15616497
references.citation: Br J Ophthalmol. 2012 Apr;96(4):537-9
references.pmid: 22133989
references.citation: Sante. 2009 Apr-Jun;19(2):61-6
references.pmid: 20031512
references.citation: Sante. 2010 Jul-Sep;20(3):133-8
references.pmid: 21118789
references.citation: Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 1989 Jan;9(1):3-15
references.pmid: 2512527
references.citation: Ophthalmology. 2011 Aug;118(8):1645-52
references.pmid: 21570122
references.citation: Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2000 Jan;41(1):1-7
references.pmid: 10634592
references.citation: J Fr Ophtalmol. 1996;19(11):705-9
references.pmid: 9033892
references.citation: Am J Optom Physiol Opt. 1987 Dec;64(12):944-51
references.pmid: 3445891
references.citation: Am J Optom Physiol Opt. 1985 Oct;62(10):680-8
references.pmid: 4073201