Nutritional optic neuropathy is a dysfunction of the optic nerve which is important for vision. If it is not caught early and treated this will lead to permanent structural damage to the nerve that will cause blindness. A case of a teenage patient, examined by clinical scientists from Bristol Medical School and the Bristol Eye Hospital, found a patient complaining of tiredness with results of macrocytic anemia and low vitamin B12 levels. Since the start of secondary school, the patient had an unhealthy eating habit. What he mostly consumed was chips, crisps, white bread, and some processed pork. A year later when the patient visited the GP, hearing loss and vision symptoms had developed but they didn’t find a cause. When the patient condition was diagnosed, the patient had permanently impaired vision.
Limited intake of nutritional vitamins and minerals will be the cause of Nutritional Optic Neuropathy. This could be prevented if the consumption of “junk food” is lessened and an appropriate diet is always practiced. Dr. Denize Atan, the study’s lead author and Clinical Lead for Neuro-ophthalmology at Bristol Eye Hospital said, “Our vision has a tremendous impact on our quality of life, education, employment, social interactions, and mental health." Learn more about this study.
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