Xerophthalmia

What is xerophthalmia? Xerophthalmia is a progressive eye disease caused by vitamin A deficiency. Lack of vitamin A can dry out your tear ducts and eyes. Xerophthalmia can develop into night blindness or more serious damage to your cornea, the outer layer of your eye. This damage may take the form of white spots on your eyes and ulcers on your corneas. Xerophthalmia usually can be reversed with vitamin A therapy. Read on to learn the symptoms of and risks for this condition, and what treatment options are available. Xerophthalmia is caused by a lack of vitamin A. Your body doesn’t produce vitamin A on its own. Instead, you have to get vitamin A from the foods you eat. Vitamin A is essential for vision because it’s an element of the protein that absorbs light in the receptors in your retina. Vitamin A is also important for the function and maintenance of your heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs. Xerophthalmia is rare in the United States, United Kingdom, and other developed countries. It’s still seen in developing countries where people may have limited access to animal products, however. Vitamin A is also known as retinol. It’s a fat-soluble substance found in animal products like: • fish liver • poultry • meat • dairy products • eggs It’s also possible to get vitamin A from vegetable sources in the form of beta carotenes. Beta carotenes are converted into retinol in your gut. But this process is inefficient as a vitamin A source compared with eating animal products. S...

Xerophthalmia is a medical condition in which the eye film is reduced and the eye is incapable of producing tears. This appears when there is something wrong with the lacrimal glands and their main function, meaning to produce tears, is affected. Xerophthalmia is also known as the dry eye syndrome or conjunctivitis arida and it can affect the quality of life to an extensive level. The tears are very important to the health of our eyes, because they actually keep it lubricated. Without the eye film, we would never be protected against particles and debris coming from the outside. This is why having a healthy tear film also guarantees healthy eyes, meaning a good vision as well. Patients who are diagnosed with xerophthalmia suffer from vision problems and other upsetting symptoms, requiring specialized medical attention and treatment. Xerophthalmia Symptoms These are the main symptoms that can appear in case of xerophthalmia: • Blurred vision • Burning and itching sensation in the eye • Redness of the eye • The sensation of having sand in the eye • Light sensitivity • Mild irritation and discomfort in the initial stage • Corneal xerosis • Desire to blink continuously (blinking usually renews the tear film) • Night blindness (the patient cannot distinguish any object in the dark) • Bitot’s spots (these are triangular spots of pearly or yellow color). Stages Depending on the symptoms exhibited by the patient, xerophthalmia has the following stages: According to the primary sym...

Overview What is xerophthalmia? Xerophthalmia is pronounced "zeer-of- thal-mee-uh” or “zeer-op- thal-mee-uh.” The Greek root words literally mean “dry eye.” While the group of conditions that is xerophthalmia includes The • You don’t get enough vitamin A in your diet. • Your body can’t use the vitamin A you do get effectively. How common is xerophthalmia? According to the World Health Organization, there are some 254 million children worldwide with vitamin A deficiency. There are about 2.8 million children with xerophthalmia. In addition, it causes about 350,000 cases per year of childhood blindness, making it the leading cause of blindness in children. Symptoms and Causes What are the signs and symptoms of xerophthalmia? The signs and symptoms of xerophthalmia include the following items presented in the order, or stage, in which they generally happen: • Night blindness (nyctalopia) : You can’t see well at night or in poor light such as in a restaurant or movie theater. You may also have trouble adjusting to changes in lighting. • Conjunctival xerosis: Your conjunctiva is dry. (Xerosis is a medical term for dry skin or membranes.) Your conjunctiva is a thin tissue that covers the white parts of your eyes (sclera) and the inside of your eyelids. • Bitot spots: You have foamy silver-gray triangular spots that appear on the whites of your eyes. • Corneal xerosis: Your cornea is dry and it shouldn’t be. Your • Corneal ulcers : You have holes or sores in your cornea. • Keratom...

Xerophthalmia is an eye condition that results from vitamin A deficiency. Symptoms include According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin A deficiency is one of the Trusted Source National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements Governmental authority This article will explain xerophthalmia, including its symptoms and causes. It will also discuss the diagnostic and treatment methods for the condition. Marco Govel/Stocksy United Xerophthalmia Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Vitamin A Trusted Source National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements Governmental authority Common sources of vitamin A include green leafy vegetables, meats, and fish. Many factors can cause vitamin A deficiency, including: • Poverty: This is a Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health • Alcohol misuse: Excessive alcohol consumption can contribute to malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies. • Cystic fibrosis: This is a genetic condition that causes infections and lung damage. It Trusted Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Governmental authority • Celiac disease: This is an autoimmune disorder that results from eating gluten. It • Bile duct blockage: This is when one of the tubes that transports bile between the liver and other organs becomes blocked. It can interfere with the balance of nutrients in the body. • Cirrhosis: This conditio...

‌Xerophthalmia is a disease that causes dry eyes due to This disease is rare in the U.S. It’s more commonly seen in developing countries, where people are more likely to have nutrient deficiencies. It can be treated with vitamin A supplements. Causes of Xerophthalmia ‌ Your body can’t make its own vitamin A. You need to eat foods — like carrots and meat — or take supplements that are rich in vitamin A. Getting enough vitamin A is important for your health. ‌ A lack of vitamin A in your diet may cause dry eyes, which is called xerophthalmia. Risk Factors of Xerophthalmia ‌Xerophthalmia can happen because of underlying conditions that cause vitamin A deficiency. It has the following risk factors: ‌ Young age. Vitamin A deficiency is more common in infants and children. It can hinder a child’s growth, have negative effects on vital organs, and complicate other diseases or infections. If a child doesn’t get enough vitamin A as they are growing, it may cause xerophthalmia or childhood blindness. Vitamin A deficiency can also occur in children due to diseases like ‌ Severe xerophthalmia affects infants far more than adults. Children 3 to 6 years of age are at a higher risk of developing Other factors. These are some other risk factors of xerophthalmia in children and adults, including: ‌ • Poverty. People who live in poverty or can't afford proper meals are more likely to develop diseases like xeropthalmia. • Lack of nutrition education. Those who don’t receive proper education ...

What is xerophthalmia disease? Xerophthalmia is a group of eye problems caused by severe vitamin A deficiency (VAD). Often resulting from malnutrition, xerophthalmia is the top cause of preventable blindness among children around the world, found most frequently in poverty-stricken regions. It can affect various parts of the eye, including the: • Conjunctiva– A clear membrane on the front of the eye and inside of the eyelids • Cornea– The clear front part of the eye that allows light to enter and helps the eye to focus • Retina– A membrane on the back of the eyeball that contains two types of photoreceptors: rods for black-and-white vision and cones for color vision Xerophthalmia can also affect people with conditions that affect the body's ability to process vitamin A and other nutrients, even in more developed countries where it’s rare. Conditions that may put you at higher risk for developing xerophthalmia include: • Alcoholism or liver disease • Cystic fibrosis • Gastrointestinal disorders that affect nutrient absorption (for example, Crohn's disease, celiac disease or short bowel syndrome) and bariatric surgery • Premature birth (for babies in the first year of life) • Strict vegan or vegetarian diets While most Americans get enough vitamin A in their regular diets, it's important to eat plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables each day — especially if you're at risk for developing problems with vitamin A absorption, storage or transport in your body. Without treatmen...