A drug used in the treatment of a rare metabolic disorder has been found to increase the melanin levels in the eyes of albino mice.
Nitisinone has been used to treat tyrosinaemia for many years and has the side effect of increasing pigmentation in the iris and hair of patients. A study on mice involved use of the drug for one month and resulted in albino mice exhibiting increased melanin levels. But it was not possible to detect any visual changes.
Oculocutaneous albinism is a hereditary condition where lack of pigment and poor retinal differentiation results in reduced vision. The researchers at New York University state that they do not know whether improving pigmentation levels in human patients would help their vision, but claimed the study 'represents a substantial leap forward toward the possible treatment of all forms of oculocutaneous albinism.'