Lack of nutrition, children constantly rub their eyes

(CTO) - Many children complain to their parents that their eyes are often tired, sore, and irritated, causing them to rub their eyes constantly. Or at dusk, in low-light environments, children have reduced vision, poor vision, or often fall... In addition, children often feel tired, have poor appetite, slow weight gain, dry skin, brittle hair... Ophthalmologists recommend that the above cases are warnings about eye health, related to the nutritional status and overall development of children.

According to doctors at Saigon Can Tho Eye Hospital, children with the above symptoms may be deficient in vitamin A. In addition to its important role in the normal development of children, vitamin A also participates directly in reactions in rod and cone cells in the retina. Vitamin A is also a component that helps the tear film adhere to the corneal surface. If there is a lack of vitamin A, children will suffer from many eye-related diseases such as dry eyes, which can cause conjunctivitis or keratitis over time.

The two main causes of the disease include a diet lacking in vitamin A and other systemic diseases. Children often have the habit of eating few vegetables and fruits, and snacking a lot; main meals lack foods rich in vitamin A such as liver, eggs, milk, fish oil, papaya, ripe mango, gac fruit, carrots, sweet potatoes, dark green vegetables...

Vitamin A is soluble in oil and fat, so a meal without oil and fat is one of the causes of vitamin A deficiency. Other systemic diseases in special groups: Children with poor absorption, prolonged diarrhea causing dehydration, often lacking essential nutrients including vitamin A. Children with a history of liver failure or biliary obstruction, children with other infectious diseases such as measles, dysentery... for a long time, premature babies, underweight, premature, malnourished... also cause vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin A deficiency or excess is not good for the eyes and comprehensive development of children.