Neurofibromatosis

Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disorder affecting the nervous system, muscles, bone, and skin. There are two types of neurofibromatosis – NF1 and NF2, with NF1 being the more common of the two. Symptoms of this disorder include café-au-lait spots (tan patches) on the skin, nodules in the iris of the eyes, bone defects (such as severe scoliosis or malformed bones), visual disorders, small, rubbery skin lesions, and masses around the eighth cranial nerve (which may cause hearing loss, tinnitus, facial weakness, and headache). There is no cure for this disorder but the symptoms are treated individually. Genetic counseling and surgery are also options.