The colour of our skin depends on how much melanin is in it. Melanin is a dark brown material (pigment) found in many parts of the body. The body parts that it helps colour include the skin, hair and eyes. Some children cannot make as much melanin as others and some cannot make any melanin at all. Children who do not make as much melanin as normal have Albinism. Most children with Albinism only have a problem making melanin in their eyes. These children have ‘Ocular Albinism’. In other children the lack of melanin affects all parts of the body as well. They may have pale skin and blonde hair with light coloured eyes. These children have ‘Oculo-Cutaeneous Albinism’. Children with any type of albinism also swap more information at the optic nerve join (chiasm) than normal. This difference in the way the eyes are ‘wired’ to brain can be used to help make the diagnosis if there is some doubt using special electrical tests. Children are born with Albinism. They cannot ‘catch’ it in later life.