Could Gastric Bypass Affect the Eyes?

Ivanhoe Newswire
Thursday, June 15, 2006; 12:00 AM

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- You wouldn't think gastric bypass surgery or other gastrointestinal surgeries would affect someone's ability to see well, but that might be the case, report researchers who studied three patients with vision problems.

All the patients had undergone gastrointestinal surgery, including intestinal bypass surgery, between 20 and 35 years before developing poor vision and difficulties seeing well at night. All were found to suffer from vitamin A deficiency, despite the fact they took vitamin supplements. The investigators linked the vitamin A deficiency to their earlier gastrointestinal surgeries, speculating the surgeries altered their ability to effectively absorb vitamin A, which is essential for good eyesight.

Two of the patients agreed to vitamin A injections, which improved their eyesight in a matter of days.

The authors note vitamin A deficiency is common in third world nations and is largely caused by malnutrition. The condition is rare in developed nations, but they believe it may become a bigger problem as more and more people undergo gastric bypass surgery and other gastrointestinal surgeries aimed at weight loss.

The researchers call on doctors to consider vitamin A deficiencies in people with failing eyesight who have had gastrointestinal surgery in the past. This is particularly important for people who also have liver disease, since vitamin A is stored in the liver.

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SOURCE: British Journal of Ophthalmology, published online June 13, 2006