Vitamin A

Did you know that Vitamin A deficiency is a serious public health problem in more than 50% of all countries, especially in Africa and South-East Asia? According to the World Health Organization, this deficiency causes blindness in up to 500,000 children each year! Night blindness is one of the first signs of vitamin A deficiency and it contributes to blindness by making the cornea very dry and damaging the retina and cornea. Vitamin A deficiency also diminishes the ability to fight infections, therefore increasing mortality rates. In more developed countries excess alcohol consumption and Iron deficiency can deplete vitamin A, and a stressed liver may be more susceptible to vitamin A toxicity.

Vitamin Angels, a non-profit, non-governmental organization, works to provide vitamin supplementation in developing countries to help prevent disease brought upon by vitamin deficiency. Operation 20/20 is Vitamin Angel's global campaign to eradicate child blindess from Vitamin A deficiency by the year 2020. Vitamin Angels is working to raise money to be able to provide vitamin A deficient children with vitamin A and anti-parasitic supplements in order to prevent them from going blind and suffering from other life-threatening diseases caused by Vitamin A Deficiency. - Community Assistant