Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 4

Vitamin A, including its form as vitamin A acetate (retinyl acetate), is scientifically recognized as essential for ocular health. Its most direct role is in the maintenance of normal vision, particularly through its involvement in the synthesis of rhodopsin, a pigment necessary for low-light (night) vision. Deficiency in vitamin A is a well-established cause of xerophthalmia, a spectrum of eye disorders that includes dryness, redness, itching, and in severe cases, blindness. Clinical studies and public health interventions have demonstrated that vitamin A supplementation can prevent and treat these symptoms, especially in populations at risk of deficiency (such as children in developing countries).

Specifically, vitamin A deficiency leads to disruption of the conjunctival and corneal epithelial integrity, resulting in symptoms like redness, dryness, and itching. Supplementation restores normal epithelial function and tear production, alleviating these symptoms. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends vitamin A supplementation as a primary strategy for preventing blindness and treating ocular manifestations of deficiency. However, for cases of red or itching eyes not caused by vitamin A deficiency (e.g., allergies, infections), vitamin A supplementation is not typically effective and should not be used as a general remedy. Thus, while the link is strong for deficiency-induced symptoms, evidence does not support its routine use for eye redness or itching with other causes.

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