Which of the following describes signs of vitamin A deficiency?

Which of the following describes signs of vitamin A deficiency?

• A. Ocular xerosis, night blindness, decreased immunity
• B. Hearing loss
• C. Weight gain
• D. Numbness in your hands

Answer: (A)

Vitamin A deficiency shows up most clearly in problems with vision and the immune system. Vitamin A is essential for keeping the retina functioning in low light and for maintaining healthy, protective surfaces like the mucous membranes of the eyes and airways. When you’re deficient, night vision suffers because the molecules needed to detect light can’t be replenished efficiently. The eye can also become dry and keratinized (ocular xerosis), a change that can progress to more serious eye damage if not addressed. At the same time, vitamin A helps sustain the integrity of epithelial barriers and the function of immune cells, so a deficiency weakens immunity and raises the risk of infections. That combination—night blindness, drying and Keratinized ocular surface, and decreased immunity—best captures the signs of vitamin A deficiency. Other options don’t fit this pattern: hearing loss, weight gain, or numbness in the hands aren’t typical features of vitamin A deficiency.

Vitamin A deficiency shows up most clearly in problems with vision and the immune system. Vitamin A is essential for keeping the retina functioning in low light and for maintaining healthy, protective surfaces like the mucous membranes of the eyes and airways. When you’re deficient, night vision suffers because the molecules needed to detect light can’t be replenished efficiently. The eye can also become dry and keratinized (ocular xerosis), a change that can progress to more serious eye damage if not addressed. At the same time, vitamin A helps sustain the integrity of epithelial barriers and the function of immune cells, so a deficiency weakens immunity and raises the risk of infections. That combination—night blindness, drying and Keratinized ocular surface, and decreased immunity—best captures the signs of vitamin A deficiency. Other options don’t fit this pattern: hearing loss, weight gain, or numbness in the hands aren’t typical features of vitamin A deficiency.