Introduction. Vitamin B12 (VitB12) deficiency rarely manifests with visual symptoms.
Disturbed or blurred vision can also occur as a result of a Vitamin B12 deficiency. This happens when the deficiency causes damage to the optic nerve that leads to your eyes. The nervous signal that travels from the eye to the brain is disturbed due to this damage, leading to impaired vision.
Vitamin B12 supports and promotes eye health
Vitamin B12 can help maintain and promote healthy eyesight. As we get older, many of us suffer from macular degeneration (loss of eyesight). In a study on 5 000 women over the age of 40, sufficient vitamin B12 intake was linked to 34-41% lowered risk of macular degeneration.
Vitamin deficiency
Opticians can see changes in the retina such as Bitot's spots which appear as bubbly, foamy patches on the conjunctiva. This is an indication of low vitamin A levels. If a patient is lacking vitamin B12, they may suffer from changes in the optic nerve which can lead to vision problems.
Vitamin A plays an important role in your vision. To see the full spectrum of light, your eye needs to produce certain pigments for your retina to work properly. Vitamin A deficiency stops the production of these pigments, leading to night blindness.
Vitamin A and beta carotene
Vitamin A is essential for good vision. It is a component of the protein rhodopsin, which allows the eye to see in low-light conditions. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, a deficiency in vitamin A can lead to night blindness.
Vitamin A and vision make potent allies. Carrots contain lots of beta carotene and Vitamin A, which can contribute to your eyes' health and may provide a fantastic source of eye vitamins for macular degeneration and cataracts.
A B12 deficiency is often misdiagnosed as depression, ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, iron-deficiency-anemia, MS or hypochondria. Patients have often been to the doctor many times, visited multiple doctors and have had numerous tests done, before the B12 deficiency was found.
Once you begin treating your vitamin B12 deficiency, it can take up to six to 12 months to fully recover. It is also common to not experience any improvement during the first few months of treatment. If you can, it's a good idea to address what's causing the deficiency.
The tests used to diagnose vitamin B12 deficiency are a complete blood count (CBC) and a vitamin B12 blood test level. A person is diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency if the amount of vitamin B12 in their blood is less than 150 per mL.
Stage 1 is decreased levels of vitamin B12 in the blood. Stage 2 is low concentration of vitamin B12 in the cell and metabolic abnormalities. Stage 3 is increased levels of homocysteine and MMA and decreased DNA synthesis resulting in neuropsychiatric symptoms. Stage 4 is macrocytic anemia.
Vitamin B12
According to a 2017 study, a B12 deficiency is associated with severe dry eye and eye pain. A recent 2015 study found that the combination of oral vitamin B12 supplements and artificial tears improved symptoms of dry eye syndrome.
Macular degeneration is a type of vision loss that occurs primarily in old age but is also associated with B12 deficiency.
B12 deficiency can also lead to nerve and brain damage. This damage may manifest in symptoms such as brain fog, memory problems, fatigue, depression, muscle fatigue and tingling in the extremities. In the long-term, this damage can become irreversible.
Some people can develop a vitamin B12 deficiency as a result of not getting enough vitamin B12 from their diet. A diet that includes meat, fish and dairy products usually provides enough vitamin B12, but people who do not regularly eat these foods can become deficient.
Long-term vitamin B12 deficiency can cause nerve damage. This may be permanent if you do not start treatment within 6 months of when your symptoms begin. Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia most often responds well to treatment. It will likely get better when the underlying cause of the deficiency is treated.
A lack of B12 may lead to depression, confusion, memory problems, and dementia. It also can affect your balance. B12 supplements are usually safe. For adults, doctors recommend 2.4 micrograms a day.
Symptoms of B-12 deficiency can be subtle at first. Early symptoms may include a persistent tingling or prickly feeling in your feet or hands, weakness, numbness, imbalance, and mental problems such as confusion, depression, irritability and forgetfulness. Rarely, vitamin B-12 deficiency is a cause of dementia.
Key points about vitamin B12 deficiency anemia
Symptoms include weak muscles, numbness, trouble walking, nausea, weight loss, irritability, fatigue, and increased heart rate. Treatment may include vitamin B12 supplements. It is also important to eat a well-balanced diet.
MRI showing abnormalities in the posterior column of the spinal cord is also well documented in vitamin B12 deficiency, but brain imaging showing extensive white matter changes is rarely described.
Severe visual loss and legal blindness, which may be caused by the induced hyperexcitability and toxicity of the NMDA receptors, have been observed in Mg-deficient (Mg-D) patients (12).
Blurred vision can be caused by eye conditions, including: difficulty focusing your eyesight, such as with near-sightedness or far-sightedness. astigmatism (when the surface of the eye isn't curved properly) presbyopia (when your eyes find it harder to focus as you age)