What is keratomalacia?

keratomalacia is a progressive, bilateral eye disease that, if not treated, can lead to blindness in both eyes. This disease is characterized by degeneration of cornea and tear glands. The cause of keratomalacia is the lack of vitamin A. The treatment of the condition usually involves aggressive vitamin A, topical antibiotics to prevent infections in the fragile cornea and the use of lubricating eye drops to combat dry eyes. Keratomalacia is sometimes also referred to as xeroftalmia or xerotic keratitis. The cornea is clear, superficial coverage on the eye that works with the lens to focus on the light on the retina. Changes in the cornea weaken it and make it sensitive to infection and other damage. Finally, the function of the tear glands or glands producing tears found in the corners eye is disturbed, resulting in a dry eye. The dry eye can lead to the development of bitot spots or protein deposits, which are formed in a delicate membrane covering the scroller or white part of the eye, which further disrupts vision.

corneal damage due to keratomalacia cannot be reversed. The only hope for the treatment of this disease is to capture it early enough to prevent further damage and complete loss of vision. Immediate treatment is the expansion of diet with vitamin A, beta carotene and retinoids. This treatment gradually arrests corneal and tear gland damage.

6 If the tear glands are sufficiently advanced to cause the dry eye and bitot stains, the eyes are also treated with lubricating drops, which will replace decreasing or arrested tears production. If the tear gland damage is advanced, it may be necessary to keep the patient in a highly moistened environment to prevent extreme eye drying.

Lack of vitamin A can have many causes. This vitamin insufficiency may be the result of starvation or malnutrition, where food supplies or diverse and nutritious food reserves are limited. Lack of vitamin A may also be causedM that I do not eat food rich in beta carotene, such as green leaf vegetation or orange vegetables and fruits and foods rich in retinoids such as liver and eggs. Beta carotene and retinoids turn into vitamin A. Lack of vitamin A may also be caused when the body is unable to absorb beta carotene or retinoids or unable to convert beta carotene or retinoids to vitamin A.