8-year-old goes permanently blind due to ‘fussy eating’ and poor diet choices – The Times of India

You May Be Interested In:Zepp Clarity’s New OTC Hearing Aids Need More Time to Bake


“Teacher, why can’t I see anything?” exclaimed an 8-year-old boy after he lost his vision suddenly in the middle of his class. The Malaysian school boy was immediately rushed to the hospital where he was diagnosed with severe Vitamin A deficiency that affected his optic nerves.
Turned out this happened due to the second-grader’s poor eating habits that left him severely malnourished. He ate nothing but chicken nuggets, sausages, and cookies ever since he was a baby, which led to an extreme deficiency of Vitamin A, a nutrient that is required to keep the optic nerves healthy.
Vitamin A can help maintain eye health and produce the necessary pigments for the retina to work properly. Vitamin A deficiency stops the production of these pigments, leading to night blindness. Your eye also needs vitamin A to nourish other parts of your eye, including the cornea. Without enough vitamin A, your eyes cannot produce enough moisture to keep them properly lubricated.According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 2,50,000–5,00,000 children who are vitamin A-deficient become blind every year, and half of them die within 12 months of losing their sight.

What is optic neuropathy?

Optic neuropathy is a condition that occurs when the optic nerve is damaged, which can lead to vision loss. The optic nerve is a bundle of nerve fibers that sends visual information from the eye to the brain.
The disease can lead to a painless deterioration in vision but if caught early, can be treated with dietary supplements to replenish the missing nutrients. If left untreated or not immediately it can lead to optic nerve atrophy, which cannot be reversed.

Dr Erna Nadia, a Malay social media doctor, had shared this episode on a Facebook post and urged parents to include the right foods in their child’s diet, and be watchful of symptoms like dry eyes, grey spots on the whites of the eyes, night blindness, or tear production issues.

Foods high in vitamin A include spinach, carrots, mangoes, dairy milk, apricots, fish, chicken, eggs and sweet potatoes.
Certain disorders like avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), which is more common in boys, can lead to Vitamin A deficiency where children become extremely selective eaters and sometimes have little interest in eating food. They may eat a limited variety of preferred foods, which can lead to poor growth and poor nutrition.



share Paylaş facebook pinterest whatsapp x print

Similar Content

The Best Prime Day Apple Deals
The Best Prime Day Apple Deals
China: A year of mass attacks reveals anger and frustration
China: A year of mass attacks reveals anger and frustration
The Airweave Advanced Mattress Is Unlike Any Other Bed We’ve Tested
The Airweave Advanced Mattress Is Unlike Any Other Bed We’ve Tested
Save 50% With DoorDash Promo Codes and Deals
Save 50% With DoorDash Promo Codes and Deals
Why cholesterol level rises during winter season | - Times of India
Why cholesterol level rises during winter season | – Times of India
Replica Harry Potter swords recalled for breaking weapons law
Replica Harry Potter swords recalled for breaking weapons law
24/7 Headlines | © 2025 | News