London, Dec 30 (Prensa Latina) A team of scientists have confirmed that lacking vitamin A causes severe damage to eyesight and can also even lead to blindness, Daily Express reported Thursday.
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the major symptoms of vitamin A deficiency are decreased visual acuity and night blindness, when a person sees poorly in the dark.
As vitamin A deficiency worsens, the conjunctiva – mucous membrane of the eye whose main function is to keep it moist – becomes dry and the cornea ulcerates. If blindness is not treated, experts warned, you can lose your sight completely.
“The eye needs a series of pigments for the retina to function and perceive the entire spectrum of light, and when vitamin A levels drop too low, the production of these pigments stops, which can cause night blindness,” researchers pointed out.
Another part of the eye that is highly dependent on vitamin A is the cornea. Its deficiency leads to the early development of dry eye syndrome, in which the surface of the conjunctiva and cornea are poorly hydrated. In order to get Vitamin A, scientists strongly recommend to eat poultry, fish and dairy products, but also carrots, mangoes, apricots, tomatoes and spinach.
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