Conjunctiva is a membrane that works in the field of covering the eyes and its visible parts and white patches that appear in the area of the conjunctiva are known as bitot’s spots. These white patches are very distinct and at the same time they can also develop and expand very quickly resulting in xerophthalmia.
Xerophthalmia is a condition that can cause blindness in the extreme cases. Bitot’s spots usually occur due to the deficiency of vitamin A and the spots are shaped like triangles on the eyeballs. They can form ulcers and result in irreversible blindness if left untreated for a very long span of time. Proper diet to treat bitot’s spots is very important so that the instances and occurrences of the spots can be reduced. The diet should be the following:
Best Diet To Treat Bitot’s Spots
Foods That Contain Vitamin A
Since bitot’s spots are usually caused due to the deficiency of vitamin A, it is very important for individuals suffering from this infection, to take in a lot of vitamin A.
People should try taking chicken, eggs, beef, sweet potatoes, mangoes, green vegetables and liver in order to fill in the deficiency of vitamin A in the body. Children should be given breast milk because breast milk is also said to be a rich source of vitamin A that is considered to be very essential in treating bitot’s spots.
Veggies Containing Beta-Carotene
This is one form of pre-vitamin A that gets converted into vitamin A within the body in a very easy manner. Beta-carotene works in the form of an antioxidant and helps in the protection of the body from the free radicals that carry out the process of oxidation and damage the cells.
People who look forward towards beta-carotene as an essential element in the diet to treat bitot’s spots should consider taking cabbage, asparagus, carrots, broccoli and dandelion leaves on a regular basis.
Cheese And Fish
Retinal is basically found in poultry and meat products and it is used by the body for the regulation and the growth of various cells and tissues of the eyes and the skin along with the lining of intestines and lungs.
Cheese and fishes of various kinds are said to contain good quantities of retinal that is considered to be of great help in the treatment of bitot’s spots.
Zinc Containing Foods
A good diet for the treatment of bitot’s spots should also consist of zinc supplements like beef, seafood, lamb, spinach, wheat germ and pumpkin because zinc is an enzyme that helps in increasing the effectiveness of vitamin A within the body.
Zinc is a mineral that maintains the senses of the body such as smell, keeps the immune system of the body healthy and it also helps in building proteins.
Bilberry
Bilberry should also be included in the diet to treat bitot’s spots because bilberry enhances the vision accuracy of the eyes and at the same time there are a number of other problems of the eyes that can also be eradicated by the use of bilberry.
People should always make it a point to include healthy supplements in their diet so that the problem of bitot’s spots can be given a proper solution.