What causes xerophthalmia and what are the symptoms?
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.
What is xerophthalmia in the eye?
Xerophthalmia refers to the spectrum of ocular disease caused by severe Vitamin A deficiency (VAD). Vitamin A serves several essential functions in the eye, and deficiency can lead to a constellation of ocular signs and symptoms that affect the conjunctiva, cornea, and retina.
What is the difference between night blindness and xerophthalmia?
Xerophthalmia caused by a severe vitamin A deficiency is described by pathologic dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea. The conjunctiva becomes dry, thick and wrinkled….
| Xerophthalmia | |
|---|---|
| Symptoms | Night blindness |
| Complications | Blindness due to corneal opacity |
| Causes | Vitamin A deficiency (main) |
How do you assess xerophthalmia?
Xerophthalmia can be demonstrated by Schirmer’s test, staining of the corneal and conjunctival epithelium by rose bengal dye, or demonstration of epithelial strands by slit‐lamp examination.
What is conjunctival Xerosis?
Conjunctival xerosis (X1A, WHO classification) is usually bilateral and reflects severe conjunctival dryness. It is a sign of long-standing vitamin A deficiency (VAD). 1 In advanced cases, the entire conjunctiva may appear dry, roughened, thickened and corrugated, and sometimes skin-like.
Is xerophthalmia irreversible?
The term xerophthalmia covers all the ocular manifestations of vitamin A deficiency. Xerophthalmia can progress to irreversible blindness if left untreated.
Can vitamin A deficiency cause conjunctivitis?
What form of metaplasia occurs in individuals with vitamin A deficiency causing xerophthalmia?
Vitamin A deficiency is characterized by multifocal squamous metaplasia and hyperkeratosis of epithelium. Squamous metaplasia results in changes in ocular and periocular tissues, the respiratory system, the oral cavity, the skin, and all tissues containing epithelium.
Which of the following drug is used in treatment of xerophthalmia?
Topical retinol, tretinoin (all-trans-retinoic acid) and etretinate (a synthetic retinoid) were used in rabbits to treat experimental xerophthalmia due to vitamin A deficiency.
Can xerophthalmia be cured?
Treatment of Xerophthalmia The main treatment for xerophthalmia is vitamin A therapy or supplementation. It can be given orally or by injection. Your doctor may also give you other medications like antibiotics to prevent eye infections. Vitamin A therapy is used to treat xerophthalmia in adults and children.
Who vitamin A deficiency stages?
Vitamin A deficiency can be defined clinically or subclinically. Xerophthalmia is the clinical spectrum of ocular manifestations of vitamin A deficiency; these range from the milder stages of night blindness and Bitot spots to the potentially blinding stages of corneal xerosis, ulceration and necrosis (keratomalacia).
Is retinol used in the treatment of xerophthalmia?