# Da Vinci Code Albino issue - wasn't there room in the budget for contact lenses?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/da-vinci-code-albino-issue-wasnt-there-room-in-the-budget-for-contact-lenses/357479>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 20, 2006, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/da-vinci-code-albino-issue-wasnt-there-room-in-the-budget-for-contact-lenses/357479 "2006-05-20T01:22:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Chef\_Troy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/da-vinci-code-albino-issue-wasnt-there-room-in-the-budget-for-contact-lenses/357479/1 "2006-05-20T01:22:22Z")

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I saw _The Da Vinci Code_ today. I’ve heard a bunch of stuff about how albinos are sick of being portrayed negatively in movies and this movie is one more example of that.

However, the character of Silas has _blue eyes_. If he were a true albino, wouldn’t his eyes be red? Sure, the guy’s really pale and has white hair, but maybe he just doesn’t get much sun.

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/da-vinci-code-albino-issue-wasnt-there-room-in-the-budget-for-contact-lenses/357479/2 "2006-05-20T01:26:35Z")

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This myth gets exploded regularly, but might as well do it again.

[http://vision.about.com/od/othereyediseases/f/albinism.htm](http://vision.about.com/od/othereyediseases/f/albinism.htm)

> [@](#):
>
> Albinism is an inherited condition in which pigment necessary for coloring eyes, skin, and hair is partially or completely absent. Albino eyes in some humans and animals may appear pink or red because of reflections from blood vessels within the eye, visible only because normal coloring or pigment in the front of the eye (iris) is missing.
> 
> Depending on the underlying genetic cause of albinism and degree of pigment loss, eyes also can have varying shades of color. When most or all pigment is missing, human albinos often have whitish hair, very light skin, and extremely pale blue eyes.