The New England Journal of Medicine recently published the case of a 12-year-old boy from Massachusetts (USA) with autism who eventually lost his eyesight due to a diet high in fast food, mainly hamburgers, fries, donuts, and bottled juice.
The boy was described by his parents as a "picky eater," completely resistant to trying new foods or vitamins because he disliked their taste. Doctors at Boston Children's Hospital said he suffered from "avoidance eating disorder," meaning he would restrict the foods he ate because he felt anxious or disliked certain colors, smells, textures, or flavors.
A 12-year-old boy in the US unexpectedly lost his eyesight due to his favorite food. (Photo: Getty Images)
Earlier this year, the unnamed boy began experiencing vision problems in the mornings and evenings, but his vision was fairly normal during the day. However, his eyesight began to deteriorate rapidly, and within six weeks, he could only move around if his parents helped him overcome obstacles. One night, he woke up screaming that he couldn't see anything.
The boy was then taken to the hospital for examination. Two days before being taken to the hospital, his parents noticed swelling and scabbing around his eyes. Sometimes, he would just stare at the wall instead of the screen when watching TV.
At the hospital, doctors discovered that his diet had caused him to be severely deficient in essential nutrients that help maintain healthy optic nerves. Specifically, the boy's vision deteriorated due to a diet consisting mainly of fast food, leading to severe deficiencies in vitamins A, C, D, copper, and zinc.
During his time in the hospital, the boy received vitamin A, C, D, and K supplements, as well as calcium, thiamine, copper, and zinc. He started eating vegetables and cheese on his burgers, thanks to behavioral therapy. His parents added a nutritional supplement to his regular juice in hopes of improving his condition.
However, despite supplemental feeding and treatment, experts determined that the boy's vision loss was permanent. The hospital discovered he had optic atrophy, a condition where the optic nerve cells shrink due to long-term damage. Doctors are concerned that "because it was discovered too late, treatment will be ineffective."
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/be-12-tuoi-nguy-co-mu-vinh-vien-vi-loai-do-an-duoc-gioi-tre-ua-chuong-ar907311.html
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