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JC Denton
Acolyte
14 Posts |
 Posted - 30 Mar 2010 : 13:19:16
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quote:
Originally posted by Laerrigan
Actually, albinism always produces visual problems, which are due to poorly-developed retina (due to lack of melanin in it) and abnormal nerve connections. There is occular albinism, which affects only the eyes on an otherwise normally-pigmented person, and the visible indications of albinism range all the way to "classic" Type A, with cornflower or lavender eyes (not pink for eyes as large as a human's, unless light reflects directly out of them, like red-eye in a photo), pale skin, and white or cornsilk hair.
Check out albinism on Wikipedia. Even better, NOAH (National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation) has some great info, along with forums where you can read stuff straight from people who actually have albinism, and talk with them. "People with albinism always have problems with vision (not correctable with eyeglasses) and many have low vision. The degree of vision impairment varies with the different types of albinism and many people with albinism are “legally blind,” but most use their vision for many tasks including reading and do not use Braille. Some people with albinism have sufficient vision to drive a car. Vision problems in albinism result from abnormal development of the retina and abnormal patterns of nerve connections between the eye and the brain. It is the presence of these eye problems that defines the diagnosis of albinism. Therefore the main test for albinism is simply an eye examination. " (from NOAH's site, specifically "What is Albinism?," emphasis mine) I'm not trying to chew on anyone, I've just long found the subject fascinating and so much research is available nowadays, with the Net  .
well I don't have time to research that now, but what's interesting to me is whether red eyes with black pupils do exist in humans, couldn't google an example so far... |
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Laerrigan
Learned Scribe
USA
195 Posts |
Posted - 30 Mar 2010 : 18:18:26
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Interesting notion....
My understanding is that the base color of a human iris is blue to blue-grey, and that added pigments change it to brown, green, etc. and prevent light from passing through it (even normal blue eyes have enough pigment for that). Hence the blue-to-lavender shading of an albino eye, and there isn't enough pigment in the iris to keep light from passing inward or outward through it. Red-eye in a photo is caused by light (such as the flash) reflecting straight back out of the eye, carrying the reddish color of the retina; it passes only through the pupil because the iris is pigmented in most people and blocks light passage. The same sort of effect can be seen when a dog or cat looks straight at your flashlight or headlights at night. For an albino, light can much more easily enter and leave the eye, carrying the pinkish cast of the blood vessels right through the iris; thus, direct light reflecting out of them can make the entire eye appear pinkish at times, but the iris is actually just unpigmented, translucent blue. In small animals (like the familiar albino mice), the eyes always appear rich pink/red because the iris isn't thick enough to block any light at all, really (in albino humans, at least there's enough material there to filter it a bit). In the same way, the pupil of a large enough eye will always appear black unless light is reflecting directly out of it, because it's nothing but a hole, a window into the dark interior of the eyeball.
Aaaaanyway, you can tell I have nothing else to do at the moment, myself   . I'll shut up now. |
"Your 'reality,' sir, is lies and balderdash, and I'm delighted to say that I have no grasp of it whatsoever." (Baron Munchausen)
"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was not made for this world." (C.S. Lewis, "Surprised by Joy") |
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Barastir
Master of Realmslore
Brazil
1600 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2010 : 14:08:47
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| Not a human, but there is an albino halfling in the 2e City of Splendors boxed set. Elistan "Watcher" Thistlebuck is one of the owners of the Safehaven Inn, and his albinism is seen as a bad omen among his fellow halflings. But "Watcher" has good friends in humans, a half-elf and even in a half-orc member of the watch. Despite his nickname, he is not a member of the Waterdeep "police" force. I haven't found any reference on the halfling in the newer editions. |
"Goodness is not a natural state, but must be
fought for to be attained and maintained.
Lead by example.
Let your deeds speak your intentions.
Goodness radiated from the heart."
The Paladin's Virtues, excerpt from the "Quentin's Monograph"
(by Ed Greenwood) |
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Zireael
Master of Realmslore
Poland
1190 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2010 : 16:21:56
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| And there's always Irae T'sarran, the drow albino. Her kind even had their own name in Greyhawk, don't remember it though. |
SiNafay Vrinn, the daughter of Lloth, from Ched Nasad!
http://zireael07.wordpress.com/ |
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Fellfire
Master of Realmslore
1965 Posts |
Posted - 04 Feb 2014 : 02:13:53
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quote:
Originally posted by Zireael
And there's always Irae T'sarran, the drow albino. Her kind even had their own name in Greyhawk, don't remember it though.
Anybody know more of these albino drow in GH? |
Misanthorpe
Love is a lie. Only hate endures. Light is blinding. Only in darkness do we see clearly.
"Oh, you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but.. blinding. The shadows betray you because they belong to me." - Bane The Dark Knight Rises
Green Dragonscale Dice Bag by Crystalsidyll - check it out
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Fellfire
Master of Realmslore
1965 Posts |
Posted - 04 Feb 2014 : 02:23:26
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| Szarkai PC's, NPC's anybody? Details please. |
Misanthorpe
Love is a lie. Only hate endures. Light is blinding. Only in darkness do we see clearly.
"Oh, you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but.. blinding. The shadows betray you because they belong to me." - Bane The Dark Knight Rises
Green Dragonscale Dice Bag by Crystalsidyll - check it out
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Albino in Faerun
