What are the symptoms of Vitamin A deficiency or night blindness?
Night blindness: The first symptom of xerophthalmia is an inability to see after dark or in a dark room. Bitot’s spots: These are accumulations of foamy, cheesy material in the eye. They often occur along with night blindness, though they may differ in size, location and shape. Corneal xerosis/ulceration: The cornea becomes dry. If left untreated, this can lead to an ulcer of the cornea within hours. Keratomalacia: This can lead to perforation of the cornea and corneal ulcer. Keratomalacia destroys the cornea, which results in permanent blindness. Corneal scar: A dry corneal surface is sensitive to infection. A corneal ulcer due to bacteria or fungal infection is likely to result in scarring of the cornea. If treated early the corneal scar will remain small and not cause significant loss of vision.
