Hundreds of thousands of people go blind every year from a deficiency of this vitamin

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Vitamin deficiency is the root cause of many diseases, so controlling vitamin levels should be a priority for health. Because our bodies make vitamins from certain nutrients, a balanced diet can meet a wide range of health needs. However, when the body is deprived of certain essential nutrients, its functions become impaired.

Some deficiencies can be so devastating that vision can be permanently lost.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), vitamin A deficiency contributes to blindness by making the cornea very dry, thereby damaging the retina and cornea. Studies show that low levels of vitamin A not only affect vision, but are also one of the causes of infant mortality.

The role of vitamin A in eye health is well known. The eye needs a number of pigments in order for the retina to function and perceive the full spectrum of light.

When vitamin A levels drop too low, the production of these pigments stops, causing chicken blindness. But the cornea is another part of the eye that depends heavily on vitamin A.

Without enough vitamin A, the eyes dry out early because they can't produce enough moisture to keep them lubricated.

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Vitamin A can be obtained from animal products, so maintaining a balanced diet will significantly reduce the risk of deficiency. Meat, fish, poultry, and dairy products are excellent sources of vitamin A.

Some plant foods also contain this nutrient, such as fruits and vegetables that contain beta-carotene. These vegetables and fruits are usually red, orange and green and include carrots, mangoes, apricots, tomatoes, peas and spinach.