What is Albinism?

Introduction

     Welcome to my BIG QUESTION! Here you will explore albino animals, such as goats, sheep, and alligators, and see what they look like. If you have ever seen a white creature with white fur and pink eyes, it might have been albino.

   So what is albinism? Albinism affects both humans and animals. Creatures with albinism have less color in their skin. The color in your skin is called pigment. The pigment can appear very pale or white in those with albinism, and they can also have pink eyes.

Symptoms

   People with albinism have these genetic traits: very pale skin, hair, and eyes, and  patches of skin with no pigment (skin coloring). They also may have crossed eyes and rapid eye movements and other vision problems. Finally, people with albinism also have light sensitivity.

What Causes Albinism 

   The color in your skin, eyes, and hair comes from a chemical called melanin. Melanin is made by cells in your skin called melanocytes. An albino creature produces very little melanin. This causes their skin, eyes, and hair or fur or feathers to appear white since they have no color.

    Albinism is a rare genetic condition. This means it is passed down at birth in your genes from the parents to the child. So you can't "catch" albinism like you catch a cold, and you don't become albino from staying out of the sunlight. 

Problems Caused by Albinism

   People with albinism can live long and normal lives. It is not a deadly disease. But people with albinism have to be very careful in the sun. 

   The pigment that gives your skin color helps to protect you from the damaging rays of the sun. That's why during the summer your skin color becomes tanner and tanner, because your body produces more melanin.

     Albino people, as well as other people with pale skin, have to be very careful in the sun, because instead of getting tan, their skin will burn. This can cause skin cancer. So it is important to wear sunscreen while outdoors to protect yourself from the damaging rays of the sun.

Eye Problems

     Albinism can cause eye problems such as rapid movement of the eyes, eye sensitivity, or misalignment of the eyes. 

      People with albinism have light colored eyes or no color in their eyes, which means their eyes are not protected from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This can cause damage to their eyes leading to impaired vision and even blindness.

    Just like wearing sunscreen can help protect their skin, wearing UV protective sunglasses can protect their eyes from the damage of the sun and bright lights. 

Conclusion

     People or animals with albinism have very white skin or fur or feathers. Since their body does not make melanin, they do not have any skin color or eye color to protect their skin and eyes. 

    But people with albinism can lead very normal lives as long as they are careful to protect themselves from the sun by wearing sunscreen and sunglasses.