Abstract
Vitamin A deficiency and xerophthalmia are paediatric health problems of great magnitude which are usually associated with vitamin and protein deficiencies. Keratomalacia is a manifestation of severe vitamin A deficiency and a grave consequence of unaddressed xerophthalmia, which presents as a true corneal emergency. Secondary keratitis, corneal ulceration, and perforation are frequently seen corneal emergencies encountered in association with keratomalacia. Vitamin A supplementation remains the mainstay of treatment for early stages. While once the disease progresses to advanced stages, surgical interventions like penetrating keratoplasty are the only options available. Bilateral blindness consequent to keratomalacia is a frequent sequel and constitutes an important cause of preventable corneal blindness. To prevent the burden of diseases, a prompt diagnosis based on the detection of early signs is a pre-requisite.
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Soni, D., Sharma, B., Singh, P., Kubrey, S. (2022). Keratomalacia. In: Sharma, B., Titiyal, J.S. (eds) Corneal Emergencies. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5876-1_19
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5876-1_19
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