Synopsis

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

Vitamin A, including its form as vitamin A acetate (retinyl acetate), is scientifically validated as essential for eye health, particularly in preventing and treating conditions related to vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin A plays a critical role in the maintenance of normal vision by being a key component of rhodopsin, a protein in the retina that absorbs light. Deficiency in vitamin A can lead to a spectrum of ocular problems, starting with night blindness and progressing to more severe manifestations such as xerophthalmia, Bitot's spots, and, in advanced cases, complete blindness. These deficiency syndromes can be accompanied by symptoms such as red, dry, or itchy eyes due to the deterioration of the conjunctival and corneal epithelium.

Supplementation with vitamin A is a well-established treatment for these deficiency-related eye symptoms, and large-scale public health efforts (such as vitamin A supplementation programs in developing countries) have significantly reduced the incidence of blindness and ocular surface disease in children. However, in populations or individuals without vitamin A deficiency, there is minimal evidence that additional vitamin A supplementation will have therapeutic effects for red or itchy eyes due to other causes, such as allergies or infections. Thus, the scientific support for vitamin A is strong for deficiency-related eye symptoms, but not for all etiologies of red or itching eyes. Clinical guidelines recommend supplementation only when deficiency is documented or highly suspected.

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