Oral Levodopa treatment in Improving Visual development in Infants and young children with Albinism-the OLIVIA study

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Currently, there are no treatments for the eye problems seen in albinism. The average vision in albinism at 20/80, is below UK driving standards, which has implications for school, work and social life. This is why finding a treatment that can improve eyesight in albinism, was named as a priority by the Sight Loss and Vision Priority Setting Partnership in 2013. We know that the brain has the amazing ability to change and adapt in children. We also know that we make use of the brain's ability to rewire itself, when we improve eyesight in lazy eyes using glasses and patching. In albinism, a chemical called L-DOPA is missing from the eye and this causes problems with eye development. This is why eyesight is so poor in albinism. However, the eye is still able to change and develop in young children with albinism. Similar to the treatment of lazy eyes, we can target this flexibility in albinism. Potentially, replacing L-DOPA in albinism at a young age, will improve eye development and eyesight. The main aim of this study is to prove for the first time that we can change how the eye develops and improve eyesight in albinism after birth, by replacing the missing L-DOPA. We will also figure out what the best dose of L-DOPA is, by testing its effects on eye development and eyesight in mice with albinism, when given at different ages, doses and lengths of time. The second aim of this study is to carry out a small trial of L-DOPA treatment in children with albinism. L-DOPA is a safe medicine that is currently being used to treat infants and young children born with problems in controlling movement of their limbs. We will explore, together with the parents of the affected children, if the treatment and examinations carried out as part of this trial are reasonable. If successful, this study will completely change how children with albinism are treated. It will also set an important precedent for the development of new treatments for other eye diseases that affect children.