A new study published in Optometry and Vision Science examined whether there was a correlation between childhood chalazia and serum vitamin deficiencies.
Tell me about the study.
It included 180 participants (90 with chalazia and 90 healthy controls), with an average age of 4.13 ± 2.10 years. Roughly 48% of the participants were female.
Serums came from blood samples collected and used to measure the levels of vitamin A and 25 hydroxy vitamin D.
What did they find?
The average serum vitamin A levels of patients with chalazia were significantly lower than that of their control counterparts (deficiency was defined as a serum level of vitamin A < 0.7 μmol/L).
The percentage of vitamin A deficiency in the chalazion group (52.2%) was much higher than the control counterparts (28.6%).
There was no significant difference in the serum 25 hydroxy vitamin D levels between the patients with chalazia and controls. (via)
The take home.
Low serum vitamin A was significantly associated with chalazion in children.