Buton Tribe Eyes Are Blue Due To Waardenburg Syndrome – Learn what the disease means in this article.
Buton Tribe is an exceptional hunter-gatherer tribe living on one of Indonesia’s sixteenth most important islands. The tried were discovered to have radiating blue eyes, indicating that they had Waardenburg syndrome; let us learn more about it.
Nat Geo and other channels focusing on biological diversity and people photographed the tribe; they are exceptional people. Few of those suffering from the disease are also deaf, to varying degrees.
Furthermore, the tribe is one of the most fascinating facts about the world and human evolution. Sadly, they do not appear to be receiving proper care and treatment because they are largely on their own to fend for themselves, with little governmental support and intervention.
Buton Tribe Eyes Are Blue Due To Waardenburg Syndrome: Disease Meaning
There are 16 genetic elements that influence eye color in humans. The eyes of the Buton Tribe in Indonesia are caused by the disease known as Waardenburg syndrome.
The disease causes pigmentation deficiencies, bright blue eye patches, and white forelock in the skin.
The syndrome is a type of mutation which is caused due to division and migration of cells (neural crest) from embryonic development.
Buton, also known as Butung, Boeton, or Button is an island in Indonesia in the Southeast Peninsula of Sulawesi. The Island is the 129th largest Island in the world, with 4,408 sq km.
The mutation causes dazzling eyes within the mutated individuals; the mutated individuals are primarily from Buton Tribe on Indonesian Island.
They seem to be talented hunters and gatherers. Despite being distinctive individuals worldwide, they have lower earnings and poor living standards than an average Indonesian.
Waardenburg Syndrome: Disease Types And Cause
Waardenburg’s syndrome can be noticed in hair, skin, and eyes with color changes. It also creates issues concerning hearing loss on both earns. The hearing loss might occur from the birth of the individual.
According to MedlinePlus, people with his condition shall have pale blue eyes, or different color eyes, where one eye is colored brown and another blue.
Similarly, the issues can also be represented in hair color, and turning the hair prematurely gray is the common sign of this condition. Waardenburg syndrome might vary from individual to person; thus, it depends on the person’s genetics.
The cause of Waardenburg syndrome is the evolution of genetics; it is an evolutionary phase where the genes of the individuals are mutated while transferring the genes from conceiving the child to the birth.
Waardenburg syndrome might look like a gift with varying eye color and hair, but it also seems to bring issues in an individual’s senses, such as hearing and sight.
Waardenburg Syndrome Treatment
There is no treatment for the Waardenburg syndrome, but for hearing loss, individuals can wear hearing aids or use other devices that give them a proper hearing. Also, treatment for other issues presented by Waardenburg syndrome can be treated.
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The syndrome is found in one in forty-thousand people. Also, hearing issues are found in 2 to 5 percent of individuals suffering from types III and type IV mutation of the disease.
The individuals from Buton Island in Indonesia must properly care; thus, they seem to be the next step for humans to leap in terms of evolution.
Furthermore, the genetics of parents is also dependent on the syndrome; there are cases where seven siblings from the same family suffered from the same disease where they had deafness as well.
The syndrome might have its quirks, but it is not without its demerits.