hypopigmentation

Fibrosis of Extraocular Muscles with Synergistic Divergence

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

This is an ocular motility disorder with restrictive ophthalmoplegia and anomalous eye movements.  Some individuals exhibit Marcus Gunn jaw winking and downgaze fixation along with ptosis.  MRI imaging may reveal hypoplasia of the oculomotor nerve and absence of the abducens nerve.  Sometimes one or more extraocular muscles are replaced with fibrous tissue.  Globe retraction may accompany the abduction movement.  Forced duction testing may reveal severe restriction and Bell's phenomenon may be absent.  Vertical nystagmus and jerky eye motions may accompany attempted fixation.  There is considerable asymmetry to the extraocular movements of the two eyes. 

Systemic Features: 

Some patients have oculocutaneous hypopigmentation.

Genetics

No specific mutation has been identified.  Several examples of parent to child transmission have been reported suggesting autosomal dominant inheritance.

Other nonsyndromal forms of congenital fibrosis of extraocular muscles include: CFEOM1 (135700), CFEOM2 (602078), CFEOM3C (609384), and CFEOM5 (616219), although the eye movement phenotype may vary.  See also Tukel CFEOM syndrome (609428).

Pedigree: 
Autosomal dominant
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

Ptosis and strabismus surgery may be of benefit.

References
Article Title: 

Albinism, Oculocutaneous, Type VI

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

Nystagmus is usually present from birth and visual acuity is in the range of 20/100.  There is marked hypopigmentation in the retina and the iris often transilluminates.  OCT usually shows foveal flattening consistent with hypoplasia.  Most patients experience severe photophobia and many have strabismus.

Systemic Features: 

There is usually complete loss or a severe reduction of melanin in skin, hair, and eyes.  Hair color is blond but may become tinged with brown in older individuals.  The skin may have pigmented nevi and has a tendency to tan in some patients.

Genetics

This is an autosomal recessive disorder resulting from mutations in SLC24A5 (15q21.1).

Pedigree: 
Autosomal recessive
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

No effective treatment is available.  Visual function can be improved with low vision aids.

References
Article Title: 

SLC24A5 Mutations are Associated with Non-Syndromic Oculocutaneous Albinism

Morice-Picard F, Lasseaux E, Fran?ssois S, Simon D, Rooryck C, Bieth E, Colin E, Bonneau D, Journel H, Walraedt S, Leroy BP, Meire F, Lacombe D, Arveiler B. SLC24A5 Mutations are Associated with Non-Syndromic Oculocutaneous Albinism. J Invest Dermatol. 2013 Aug 28. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 23985994.

PubMed ID: 
23985994

Albinism, Oculocutaneous, Type III

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

The irides may be multicolored with the central potion light brown and the peripheral areas blue-gray.  Translucency of a punctate and radial nature is present.  Nystagmus is present in almost all cases and strabismus is present in nearly half.  Visual acuity is in the range of 20/60 to 20/200.   Photophobia is less severe than in other types of oculocutaneous albinism, possibly because the vast majority of individuals (86%) have some pigmentation in the fundus. 

Systemic Features: 

The hair in dark-skinned people may be medium brown while the skin is often light brown and subject to faint tanning.  However, the hair is often copper-red in color which has given rise to the designation rufous oculocutaneous albinism. 

Genetics

This tyrosinase-positive type of albinism is sometimes called 'rufous' (ROCA) or 'brown' (BOCA) oculocutaneous albinism and is frequently found in dark-skinned individual such as Africans, African-Americans, and Hispanics.  Like other types it is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern.  Mutations in the tyrosinase-related protein-1, TYRP1 (9p23), are responsible which seems to lead to an arrest in melanin maturation and a decrease in the amount of insoluble melanin in melanocytes.

Other autosomal recessive types of oculocutaneous albinism are: OCA1 (203100, 606952), OCA2 (203200), and OCA4 (606574). 

Pedigree: 
Autosomal recessive
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

No treatment is available for the hypopigmentation.  However, precautions against excessive sun exposure are advised.  Low vision aids can be helpful. 

References
Article Title: 

Oculocutaneous albinism

Gronskov K, Ek J, Brondum-Nielsen K. Oculocutaneous albinism. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2007 Nov 2;2:43. Review.

PubMed ID: 
17980020

Albinism, Oculocutaneous, Type IV

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

The ocular manifestations in type IV oculocutaneous albinism are similar to those of other types.  Nystagmus, strabismus, misrouting of neuronal axons, and foveal hypoplasia are prominent features although there is some clinical heterogeneity among patients.  Nystagmus may not be present at birth but is almost always evident by 3-4 months of age.  The iris may be pale blue or tan and does not generally darken with age.  Poor stereopsis is common.  Vision is stable after childhood and usually in the range of 20/100-20/400. 

Systemic Features: 

Hair color is generally intermediate between white and brown but many patients have only white hair and in others the hair is brown.  Little darkening occurs as patients become older.  The skin is often white or creamy yellow. 

Genetics

This type of oculocutaneous albinism is one of the more common types found among Japanese and maybe Chinese individuals although it has also been reported in German and Turkish individuals.  This is a rare autosomal recessive form of albinism caused by mutations in the MATP (SLC45A2) gene located at 5p13.3. 

A single Japanese family with 16 affected members has been reported in which the transmission pattern was consistent with autosomal dominant inheritance. Heterozygous mutations in the SLC45A2 gene segregated appropriately.

Other types include OCA1 (203100, 606952 ), OCA2 (203200 ), OAC3 (203290), OAC5 (615179), and OCA6 (113750)..

Pedigree: 
Autosomal dominant
Autosomal recessive
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

There is no treatment for the hypopigmentation.  Low vision aids and tinted lenses may help some patients.  Exposure to the sun should be limited. 

References
Article Title: 

Oculocutaneous albinism

Gronskov K, Ek J, Brondum-Nielsen K. Oculocutaneous albinism. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2007 Nov 2;2:43. Review.

PubMed ID: 
17980020

Albinism, Oculocutaneous, Type II

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

The iris and retina lack normal pigmentation and translucency of the iris can be demonstrated.  Anomalous decussation of neuronal axons in the chiasm and foveal hypoplasia result in decreased visual acuity.  Vision loss into the range of 20/100-20/200 does not progress after early childhood but is sometimes as good as 20/30.   Nystagmus is often present from about 3-4 months of age although it is less severe than in type I oculocutaneous albinism (203100, 606952).  The iris may darken to some extent with age.  Strabismus has been reported.  Significant refractive errors are often present and stereopsis is reduced.  The VEP responses are altered and can be used to document abnormal chiasmal decussation. 

Systemic Features: 

Melanin pigment is reduced in the skin and hair as well as the eyes.  Individuals at birth may be misdiagnosed as OCA type I but it is common for pigmentation to increase in older individuals resulting in yellow or reddish-blond hair and the appearance of freckles and nevi.  The skin may be creamy-white but this is often not as striking as in OCAI.  It is possible for tanning to take place in some patients.  This condition in Africans or African Americans is sometimes called brown oculocutaneous albinism (BOCA).  There is an increased risk of skin cancer of all types. 

Genetics

Type II is the most common type of oculocutaneous albinism and is especially prevalent among individuals of African heritage and in several Native American populations.  It is an autosomal recessive condition caused by homozygous 2.7 kb deletions in the OCA2 gene (15q24.3-q12).  Heterozygotes have normal pigmentation. 

Oculocutaneous albinism type I (203100, 606952) is a separate disorder with many similar features caused by mutations in the TYR gene.  Other types of autosomal recessive albinism are OCA3 (203290 ), and OCA4 (606574). 

Pedigree: 
Autosomal recessive
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

No treatment is available for the hypopigmentation.  Low vision aids can be helpful. Significant refractive errors should, of course, be corrected and dark lenses may be helpful during outdoor activities. The skin should be protected from excessive sun exposure. 

References
Article Title: 

Vision in albinism

Summers CG. Vision in albinism. Trans Am Ophthalmol Soc. 1996;94:1095-155.

PubMed ID: 
8981720

Oculocutaneous albinism

Gronskov K, Ek J, Brondum-Nielsen K. Oculocutaneous albinism. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2007 Nov 2;2:43. Review.

PubMed ID: 
17980020

Oculocerebral Syndrome with Hypopigmentation

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

Patients have severe ocular malformations which so far lack full characterization.  Nearly complete scleralization of the cornea prevents internal evaluation in most cases.  There may be extensive neovascularization of corneal clouding.  Anterior synechiae and cataracts have been described.  Other patients presumed to have the same disorder have normal fundi or diffuse pigmentary changes.  No limbal landmarks can be seen.  The central cornea can be more transparent but no iris can be visualized.  The eyes are microphthalmic as well.  Slow, wandering eye movements are constant.  Spastic ectropion of the lower lids is present. Lashes and eyebrows have minimal pigmentation and like the scalp hair have a slight yellowish tinge.  There is no response to bright light in severe cases whereas in other more mildly affected individuals presumed to have this disorder there is only hypoplasia of the fovea with diffuse retinal pigmentary changes.

Systemic Features: 

Individuals have severe mental retardation from birth and never respond to environmental cues beyond having a marked startle response to auditory stimuli.  Grasp and sucking responses persist at least into the second decade.  The developmental delay persists from birth and patients never achieve normal milestones.  Athetoid, writhing movements are prominent.  The limbs are spastic, and deep tendon reflexes are hyperactive. Contractures are common.  Hypodontia, diastema, and gingival hyperplasia are usually present and the hard palate is highly arched.  The skin is hypopigmented but pigmented nevi may be present and the distribution of melanocytes is uneven microscopically. Cerebellar hypoplasia has been reported in some patients.

Genetics

This is a presumed autosomal recessive disorder based on its familial occurrence and parental consanguinity in some families.  An interstitial deletion [del(3)(q27.1-1q29)] has been identified in the paternal chromosome of a 4-year-old female but the molecular defect remains unknown. 

Clinically heterogeneous cases from Africa, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, and Belgium may not all have the same disorder and evidence for a distinctive phenotype remains elusive.

Pedigree: 
Autosomal recessive
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

None available

References
Article Title: 

Oculocerebral syndrome with hypopigmentation (Cross

De Jong G, Fryns JP. Oculocerebral syndrome with hypopigmentation (Cross syndrome): the mixed pattern of hair pigmentation as an important diagnostic sign. Genet Couns. 1991;2(3):151-5.

PubMed ID: 
1801851
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