Xerophthalmia is a progressive eye disease caused by vitamin A deficiency in the body, which causes dry eyes, which can lead to long-term complications such as night blindness or corneal ulcers, for example.
Although it has serious complications, xerophthalmia is usually curable, which can be achieved by increasing vitamin A intake in foods such as whole milk, cheese or eggs, or by supplementing them with vitamins.
- Symptoms of xerophthalmia begin slightly and worsen as vitamin A deficiency worsens.
- Therefore.
- Over time.
- Symptoms such as:.
In its most advanced form, xerophthalmia begins to cause corneal lesions and ulcers, which can be considered small white spots on the eye, called Bitot spots, which, if left untreated, can cause blindness. Learn more about these stains and how to treat them.
The only cause of xerophthalmia is the lack of vitamin A in the body, as it is a very important vitamin in the composition of proteins that absorb light in the retina, since the body does not produce vitamin A, it is very important to ingest it. through foods such as liver, meat, milk or animal eggs.
However, there are certain types of diets that limit the consumption of this type of food, as well as places where access to these foods is very limited, in such cases it is always important to take vitamin A supplements to prevent xerophthalmia and other problems. caused by a lack of vitamin A.
The recommended initial treatment for xerophthalmia is to increase intake of foods that contain vitamin A, such as liver, dairy or eggs. However, in more advanced cases it may be necessary to supplement with vitamin A, tablets or injections directly into the vein. See a more complete list of vitamin A-rich foods.
In cases where corneal lesions occur, the ophthalmologist may need to prescribe the use of antibiotics during treatment with supplements to eliminate possible infections that occur in the cornea, thus avoiding aggravation of complications.
Symptoms usually improve within a few days of vitamin A supplementation, but there are cases where vision problems don’t improve, especially if there are already scars on the cornea, which in the long run can even lead to blindness.
The best way to prevent xerophthalmia is to regularly eat foods that contain vitamin A. However, if dietary restrictions exist or if this type of food is not available, you should invest in consuming vitamin A supplements to ensure adequate dietary levels. Body.
There is an increased risk of developing xerophthalmia in people with risk factors such as:
Therefore, where possible, such risk factors should be avoided, starting with appropriate treatment in case of disease, for example.