why children lose their vision and what we can do
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Night blindness, dry eyes, and xerophthalmia
(lack of vitamin a)
To keep the eyes healthy, people need to eat foods that have vitamin
A, which is found in certain fruits, vegetables, and some meat. When a
child eats enough foods with vitamin A, the surface of the eye stays wet
and healthy. Many poor children do not get enough foods that are rich
in vitamin A and their eyes begin to dry out. This is called “dry eyes.”
Dark yellow and dark green
vegetables, and some red or
orange fruits and vegetables, are
rich in vitamin A. Fish, milk, eggs,
and liver also contain vitamin A.
Not getting enough vitamin A is the most common cause of blindness
in children, especially in Africa and South Asia. It usually happens to
children who are between 6 months and 6 years old. Children under 6
months who only breastfeed usually get enough vitamin A from their
mother’s milk.
Signs:
1. First, a child has trouble seeing
in the dark or does not want to
play outside after dark.
2. Then, the eyes may begin
to look dry. The white part
becomes less shiny, starts
to wrinkle, and forms
small gray spots that look
like soap bubbles (Bitot’s
spots).
3. Later, the colored part
of the eye also gets
dry and dull, and may
have little pits.
4. Finally, the
colored part
may get
soft, swell,
or burst,
causing
blindness.
helping children who are blind