Vitamin A and Eye Health
Apparently the child was not wearing glasses because he is short of vitamin A as the assumption most people over the years. But really, vitamin A deficiency in children can cause various disorders.
If many parents give their children carrot juice, because they think carrots contain vitamin A which is good for eye health, it is warranted dr. Nani Hidayanti Widodo, Sp.M, the Harapan Kita Hospital, Jakarta. He also warned that the child's vision to develop until age 10. "Well, at this age, parents should be aware of and anticipate whether there are abnormalities of the eye that can cause visual impairment later in life."
It is said by Amy L. Rice, Ph.D., Program Director of Vitamin A from Helen Keller International, "At that age, many children experience a deficiency of vitamin A. About 50 percent of children in Indonesia do not consume enough vitamin A from food daily, so the risk for deficiency. In Indonesia alone there are approximately 10 million children are deficient in vitamin A. "
He then stressed the importance of vitamin D for good health. Deficiency of these vitamins can interfere with immune function; children become susceptible to infectious diseases, so the risk of several diseases. The pain will be more severe than if the child is not deficient in vitamin A.
In addition, vitamin A deficiency will impair growth and cause vision problems such as blind dusk and xeroftalmia or dryness of the membranes and cornea. Levels of vitamin A deficiency in a child can be seen and known through blood tests. So, functionally, a child can be declared deficient in vitamin A when there is interference with the function of vision.
Short-sighted / Night Blindness
This lightweight eye disorders, according to Nani, particularly in children with less nutritional status. The existence of short-sighted / night blindness can be seen in children aged 2-3 years or age he could walk. Symptoms can be known and will appear in the afternoon, where children are often hit-hit, the object in front of him when walking, or no focus on taking something. In short, his eyes can not adapt in the dark or dim places, especially at dusk.
Night blindness can be cured within 2 weeks with vitamin A is correct. If not treated promptly, the condition will become more severe and recovery time is also longer.
XEROFTALMIA
This eye disorder or disorders, from mild to severe levels, often found in children aged under five. Meanwhile, in infants or children under 1 year of age, this disorder is rare. 'Cause, baby is still getting vitamin D from milk, "said Nani.
If food intake is less then or appear damaged intestinal mucosa, the absorption of food substances, including vitamin A is also less. This too can lead to vitamin A deficiency in children.
Xeroftalmia eye disorders do not always have to happen sequentially. Could have on a child xeroftalmia disorder was found in stage 3. It depends on how much vitamin D experienced. Generally, when the weight of the child's health condition was very bad. So, the least severe disorder is highly dependent on the condition of the child.
* Conjunctival xerosis
Conjunctiva or mucous membranes of the eyes or the whites of the eyes is the protector of the eyeball. Supposedly, the healthy eyes, mucous membranes it seems clear, not red, not slimy and transparent.
If impaired, a child's eye color will change to gray, the eyes appear dry, dull and no longer shiny. Also starts on the outside of eye dryness. This disorder can be identified by simple inspection, using a flashlight and magnifying glass. In place prakter eye doctor, the patient will be examined degan tool called biomikroskop.
In the early stages, the symptoms are accompanied by spots (Bitot spots) and no. Patches appear mainly on the outer side of the slit eyes or on the edge of the cornea (the limbus), which is a spot like a soap bubble, which consists of keratinized cells (horn cells).
This stage can be treated by administering a capsule of vitamin A. Eye will improve within 2-3 days and abnormalities will disappear within two weeks. In addition, to help him will also be given artificial tears to her eyes do not dry.
* Corneal xerosis
If the child's condition is not good because of deficiency of vitamin A which makes immunity declines, then the damage to the eye would be more rapid. Dryness of the conjunctiva or mucus membranes can extend to the cornea or the black eye.
Cornea is the entrance of light into the eyeball (retina) so that we can see. At this stage the two corneas appear dry and rough, and the child's vision was impaired. When treatment with vitamin A, the cornea is expected to improve after a month.
* Keratomalasia
In stage three, the damage worse. It has appeared in the corneal ulcers or ulcers. Its size can be small or just about less than 1 / 3 part of the cornea and can also big up to the surface area. The most severe, when the cornea is melted. Damage to the eyes as it is permanent in nature. Children will experience blindness and can not be cured.
* Xeroftalmia Scars
At end-stage disorder, cornea appears to be white. Also seemed to deflate the eyeball. Scar tissue left behind due to the damage it will deter child's vision. He could not see anymore or blind. The damage was permanent, can not be repaired.
CHILDREN glasses
Make no mistake, lo, the use of spectacles in children is not due to vitamin A deficiency but the deflection of light beam interruption. Thus, mistaken when consumption of foods that contain lots of vitamin A taken to reduce the size of the lenses of his glasses. Why?
According to Nani, one of the functions of vitamin A, right, forming the pigments that are sensitive to light in the rod cells in the fibers of the retina or the retina. The retina is the innermost layer of the eye. Point of capture incoming light so that we can see in bright and dim conditions. Well, if the child vitamin A deficiency, then the pigments were not formed. As a result, the child could not see in low light conditions.
Meanwhile, disorders of refraction (bending of light rays) are due to anatomical abnormalities of the organs of her eyes has changed.
The disorders include miop (nearsightedness) and hypermetropia (farsightedness). Usually the "talent" is already small, and will last until you grow up.
One cause miop is the long axis of the eyeball. If the axis of the eyeball including the short, then what happens is hipermetrop. There is another disruption in the organ of vision, namely astigmat (cylinder) caused an abnormal curvature of the cornea.
The habit of watching TV or sitting for long in front of a computer screen can make it worse. Disorders of refraction can be corrected by using glasses, contact lenses and so on depending on the cause.
PREVENTION EFFORTS
Back Amy stressed the importance of vitamin A on the toddlers, "Without adequate vitamin, then the metabolism were not going well." This can even lead to death. No wonder if the government had several times entered into the intervention program for the provision of free vitamin A capsules in February and August.
Nani added: "Prevention of vitamin A deficiency can be done on infants as young as 6 months. At this age, children in need of nutritional intake in addition to breast milk." Vitamin A capsules blue color given to children aged 6-11 months, while children under five were given vitamin A capsules are red. So, in addition to improving the health of the eye, this intervention was intended to reduce child mortality. Therefore, parents should know about nutrition and attention to the nutritional needs of children because children are not able to choose foods that are good for him.