Evidence supporting the use of: Vitamin A (unspecified)
For the health condition: Conjunctivitis

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 3

Vitamin A plays a critical role in maintaining the health and function of the conjunctival and corneal epithelium. Scientific evidence supports its use in both the prevention and treatment of conjunctival disorders, especially those related to deficiency. Vitamin A deficiency is well known to cause xerophthalmia, which can manifest as conjunctival dryness and keratinization, predisposing to secondary infection and conjunctivitis. Supplementation with vitamin A can reverse these changes and restore normal epithelial integrity. The World Health Organization recommends vitamin A supplementation in populations at risk for deficiency to prevent ocular complications, including conjunctival infections.

Topical vitamin A preparations (such as retinol palmitate eye ointments) have been evaluated in clinical studies for managing various ocular surface disorders, including conjunctivitis and dry eye, with some evidence of efficacy in improving symptoms and epithelial healing. However, for typical infectious conjunctivitis not associated with vitamin A deficiency or severe epithelial compromise, vitamin A is not a frontline or standard therapy.

Overall, while there is moderate scientific evidence supporting vitamin A’s role in preventing and treating conjunctival damage in deficiency states, its direct use for common forms of conjunctivitis (e.g., viral or bacterial) is less established. Its main benefit is in deficiency-related conjunctival pathology rather than routine infectious conjunctivitis.

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