Eating a diet low in basic nutrients for the body for years can cause blindness , as can be seen from a case report published in the medical journal Annals of Internal Medicine , where the authors point to the development of a nutritional optic neuropathy in a teenager who during He has had a poor diet for years, basically based on french fries, white bread, processed ham and sausages .

As reported, vision problems that have caused blindness are unexplained and independent of your body mass index (BMI). Nutritional optic neuropathy is a dysfunction of the optic nerve usually caused by malabsorption, drugs or a poor diet combined with alcoholism or smoking. It is rare in developed countries. The condition is potentially reversible if detected early. But if left untreated, it leads to permanent blindness .

Researchers remember that the risks to poor cardiovascular health, obesity and cancer associated with eating 'junk' food are well known, but poor nutrition can also permanently damage the nervous system, particularly vision.

The patient visited his family doctor for the first time complaining of fatigue when he was 14, according to doctors from the Bristol Eye Hospital in Bristol (United Kingdom), who have reported the case. In his clinical reports, the patient was labeled as 'picky' with food, the child had a normal BMI and did not take medication. The tests showed macrocytic anemia and low levels of vitamin B12, which were treated with injections of vitamin B12 and dietary advice.

At the age of 15, the patient had developed sensorineural hearing loss and vision symptoms, but no cause was found. While at 17, the patient's vision had progressively worsened, to the point of blindness.

Not observing obvious physical problems, doctors investigated the patient's nutrition and found vitamin B12 deficiency, low levels of copper and selenium, a high level of zinc and a markedly reduced level of vitamin D and bone mineral density.

Apparently, these shortcomings were motivated by years of poor diet. The patient confessed that since elementary school, he had avoided foods with certain textures and only ate chips, 'Pringles', white bread, slices of processed ham and sausages. By the time his condition was diagnosed, the patient already had permanent vision problems.

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