Albino individuals suffer from an inherited disorder of melanin production called Albinism. In this condition there is lack of pigmentation in the eyes, skin and hair. It is also known as hypopigmentation, oculocutaneous albinism or ocular albinism.

The natural pigment, melanin, is responsible for the color of our skin, hair and eyes. If the gene, encrypting this pigment is defective, our body will be pale and white. The tan a person gets is due to the increase in the pigment distribution when exposed to the ultra-violet rays of the sun. Melanin is a pigment that protects the skin from the harmful effects of UV light. The people in the tropics are darker for this reason, as they are more exposed to the sun, in comparison to the people who live in temperate climates.The less the sun, the more the paleness of the skin, hair and the eyes.

Albinism results in a partial or complete absence of pigment from the skin, hair, and eyes. Albino’s can live a normal life span, however, some form of albinism can be life threatening.

People suffering from skin and eye (oculocutaneous) albinism have white, yellow, or yellow-brown hair, light eyes, and pale skin. Some individuals with albinism have reddish or violet eyes, some have hazel or brown eyes. Most have blue. The parents of most children with albinism have normal hair and eye color and do not have a family history of albinism. This is a recessive type of inherited disorder which means that the chance of it being passed from one generation to the next is low.