Camilla Jessen
His case reveals the serious, sometimes irreversible consequences of childhood nutrient deficiencies.
Others are reading now
An 8-year-old boy from Malaysia has gone permanently blind after surviving for years on a severely limited diet of chicken nuggets, sausages, and cookies.
His story, first reported by iHeart and later confirmed by local physicians, has renewed concern over children’s dietary habits—especially in homes where nutrition takes a back seat to convenience.
The warning signs came to light in the most alarming way possible.
The boy, according to media reports, turned to his teacher and asked, “Why can’t I see anything?”
Also read
Doctors diagnosed him with optic atrophy, permanent damage to the optic nerve caused by an extreme vitamin A deficiency.
A Preventable Tragedy
Dr. Erna Nadia, a well-known Malaysian physician, shared the boy’s case on Facebook to alert other parents.
As a mother, I understand it’s not always easy to prepare nutritious meals when you’re busy,” she wrote. “Pity for the parents of this student—it’s not easy for them to accept.
Vitamin A deficiency is rare in developed countries but still occurs, often hidden behind seemingly harmless dietary preferences.
While its early effects—like dry eyes and trouble seeing at night—can be reversed, untreated deficiency can lead to irreversible damage, as was the case here.
The Signs Parents Should Never Ignore
According to Dr. Nadia, early symptoms of vitamin A deficiency in children can include:
- Dry, itchy, or irritated eyes
- Difficulty seeing in low-light conditions
- Unusual gray spots on the whites of the eyes
- Reduced tear production
Ignoring these signs can be costly. In severe cases, the deficiency leads to xerophthalmia (extreme dryness of the eyes) and ultimately optic atrophy, which causes permanent blindness.
How to Protect Your Child from Vitamin A Deficiency
As explained by the Cleveland Clinic, vitamin A is vital not only for healthy vision but also for immune function, skin health, and organ performance. Fortunately, the nutrient is readily available in many common foods, including:
- Orange and yellow vegetables: carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin
- Leafy greens: spinach, kale, broccoli
- Fruits: mangoes, papayas, cantaloupe, oranges
- Protein sources: eggs, dairy, liver, chicken, and fatty fish
- Fortified cereals and grains
In some cases—particularly in developing countries or among at-risk children—vitamin A supplementation is necessary.
The World Health Organization still lists vitamin A deficiency as the leading cause of preventable childhood blindness worldwide.