Optometry Mails

  Sunkanmi Arogbokun OD.

  Ismail Ibrahim Vitamins are Noncaloric essential Organic compounds needed in small quantities to perform specific biological functions for normal maintenance of optimum growth and good health. Vitamin A is one of the most studied apocarotenoids in mammals and human. Vitamin A is a 20C molecule that contains a Beta-ionone ring at one end (Karrer et al., 1931; Holmes and Corbet 1937). Mammals are unable to synthesize vitamin precursors. In their first month, mammals get vitamin A as preformed vitamin A from breast milk. In the adult stage, vitamin A is obtained through the diet as a preformed vitamin A in the form of retinol, retinal, retinoic acid when consuming products of animal origin such as meat, milk, fish, egg, or as a provitamin A when consuming vegetables that contain Betacarotene, Alpha-carotene, and Beta-crytoxanthin (Arscott,2013). Vitamin A plays a vital role in visual cycle and cell differentiation. Visual Cycle In the retina, vitamin A in the form of II-cis retinal ...

  Oparaku Divine. The posterior segment or posterior cavity is the back two-thirds of the eye that includes the anterior hyaloid membrane and all of the optical structures behind it: the vitreous humor, retina, choroid, and optic nerve. The portion of the posterior segment is visible during ophthalmoscopy (or fundoscopy) is sometimes referred to as the posterior pole, or fundus. Some ophthalmologists specialize in the treatment and management of posterior segment disorders and diseases.  Your risk of developing an eye disease increases as you get older, but most of the eye disease is as a result to deficiency of some essential nutrient that are vital and very important to the health of the system. Lack of some essential vitamins and supplements could cause damages to the posterior segment of the eye, examples are: Vitamin A: Vitamin A deficiency is one of the most common causes of blindness in the world. This vitamin is essential for maintaining your eyes’ light-sensing cells,...

  Sadiq Omeiza Tijani The anterior segment of the eye consists of the cornea, iris, ciliary body, crystalline lens and the spaces of the anterior and posterior chambers filled with aqueous humor. Nutritional deficiency in these ocular structures poses a lot of complications to the eye ranging from xerophthalmia, corneal scarring, keratomalacia, Bitot’s spot, lens cataract among others.  Vitamin A (retinol) is quite an essential vitamin to the eye in which its deficiency complicates and compromises ocular function. Other vitamins of high nutritional values to the eyes and the complications as result to their deficiency are highlighted: Deficiency of vitamin A (Retinol): This results to a condition known as xerophthalmia Deficiency of vitamin B-1 (Thiamine): It can cause corneal anesthesia, conjunctival and cornea dystrophy and acute retro bulbar neuritis.  Deficiency of vitamin B-12: (Riboflavin) It can produce photophobia and burning sensation in the eye due to conjunct...

  Agunloye Femi OD.  1. Carrots  Carrots are rich in both Vitamin A and beta carotene. Beta carotene gives carrots their orange color. Vitamin A plays an essential role in vision. It is a component of a protein called rhodopsin, which helps the retina to absorb light. Research on beta carotene’s role in vision is mixed, though the body needs this nutrient to make vitamin A. Alternatives that contain vitamin A include sweet potatoes, romaine lettuce, and spinach. Of course, eating carrots alone to protect your vision still largely remains a myth.  2. Sweet Potatoes  Orange-colored fruits and vegetables -- like sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, mangos, and apricots -- are high in beta-carotene, a form of vitamin A that helps with night vision, your eyes' ability to adjust to darkness. One sweet potato also has more than half the vitamin C you need in a day and a little vitamin E.  3. Eggs It's a great package deal: The zinc in an egg will help your body us...

  Mj Omeiza Ishaq  Vision loss is a pervasive health impairment affecting over 400 million people worldwide. The eye is considerably affected by aging. Indeed, the prevalence of visual impairment and blindness increase exponentially with age.  Dietary modification became very essential in geriatric eye following researches conducted that have proven that micro and macro nutritional elements like lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin A, vitamin C, zinc, copper and carotenoid could reduce the progression of age related eye diseases like ARMD, cataract, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. In age-related eye disease studies (AREDS), approximately 25% reduction in cases like ARMD has been established.  Multivitamins/minerals also demonstrated a reduction in the progression of nuclear cataract, but increased the risk of posterior sub capsular cataract during clinical trials. The eye suffers from oxidative stress as seen in retinal degenerative diseases like glaucoma and ARMD. Catarac...

  image from Vista Eye Care Dahunsi Ayomikun Nifemi (OD) The health of the eye is reliant on the health of the body. There are about 50 known essential nutrients for the human body, which include the vitamins and about 20 minerals. Nutrition and the eye continues to be a field of very active research and the information available can be used as a guide for advising proper dietary habits and for considering vitamin and mineral supplements, rather than as firm recommendations. Some nutrients are likely to be toxic if taken in excess and so there is an upper limit for consumption that should not be exceeded.  Vitamins are today often referred to as micronutrients. Vitamin A is essential in the formation of the retinal photoreceptor pigments and vitamin A deficiency leads to defective night vision. Vitamin A is also important in maintaining the health of the ocular surface and keratomalacia occurs when the diet is grossly deficient in vitamin A. In common with vitamins C and E, vi...