Evidence supporting the use of: Vitamin A (retinol acetate)
For the health condition: Eye Infections

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Synopsis

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

Vitamin A (retinol acetate) and Eye Infections: Evidence Synopsis

Vitamin A is widely recognized for its essential role in maintaining ocular health, particularly in the context of deficiency-related disorders such as xerophthalmia and night blindness. Its use in the treatment and prevention of certain eye infections, especially in populations at risk for vitamin A deficiency, is supported by scientific evidence—though this evidence is stronger for deficiency-related sequelae than for infectious etiologies alone.

Vitamin A contributes to the maintenance of mucosal integrity and immune function in the eye. Deficiency impairs the conjunctival and corneal epithelium, increasing susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections. Supplementation has been shown to reduce the severity and incidence of ocular complications from measles, which often include conjunctivitis and keratitis (infectious manifestations). The World Health Organization recommends high-dose vitamin A supplementation in children with measles in endemic areas to prevent blindness resulting from secondary infections.

However, direct evidence supporting vitamin A supplementation for the treatment of primary eye infections in individuals without deficiency is limited. Most clinical use is targeted at populations where deficiency is prevalent, and the benefit is largely preventive or adjunctive rather than curative. Topical and systemic vitamin A has been explored in some studies for dry eye and corneal healing, but robust clinical trials for acute infectious conjunctivitis or keratitis are sparse.

In summary, while there is scientific justification—primarily in deficiency states or as an adjunct in specific infectious contexts—the evidence supporting vitamin A use solely for eye infections is moderate (3/5).

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