Low iron levels can lead to problems throughout the body, including your eyes. The retina is the most vulnerable part of the eye and is susceptible to damage from iron deficiency anemia.
There is no evidence that low iron causes blurred vision. However, low iron can cause retinal changes leading to anemic retinopathy. Eye symptoms of low iron can include a pale coloring of the inside of the lower eyelids.
Left untreated, however, iron-deficiency anemia can make you feel tired and weak. You may notice pale skin and cold hands and feet. Iron-deficiency anemia can also cause you to feel dizzy or lightheaded. Occasionally, it can cause chest pain, a fast heartbeat and shortness of breath.
If you don't have enough red blood cells, your body doesn't get enough oxygen. Iron-deficiency anemia may cause you to look pale and feel tired, or you may not have any symptoms at first. But if your anemia goes untreated, it can cause serious complications.
Common causes of iron deficiency include not getting enough iron in your diet, chronic blood loss, pregnancy and vigorous exercise. Some people become iron deficient if they are unable to absorb iron. Iron deficiency can be treated by adding iron-rich foods to the diet.
If your vision problems are caused by iron deficiency anemia, iron supplements may help improve your vision.
Iron is a necessary mineral for many of the body's functions, including vision.
Blurred vision can be caused by eye conditions, including: difficulty focusing your eyesight, such as with near-sightedness or far-sightedness. astigmatism (when the surface of the eye isn't curved properly) presbyopia (when your eyes find it harder to focus as you age)
You may also find that low iron causes weight gain. There are a couple of reasons for this; firstly, your energy levels are low and so your exercise levels reduce; secondly, iron is essential for thyroid function, and an underactive thyroid will lead to weight gain.
Iron-Rich Foods
Heme iron is found in meat, fish and poultry. It is the form of iron that is most readily absorbed by your body. You absorb up to 30 percent of the heme iron that you consume. Eating meat generally boosts your iron levels far more than eating non-heme iron.
Blue sclera is a common and useful finding of iron deficiency but is often overlooked. In 1908, Sir William Osler first described a blue discoloration of the sclera as a symptom of anemia in young girls and wrote that the eyes “have a peculiar brilliancy and the sclerotics are of a bluish color”.
Usually, a normal eye appears pale pink in colour. However, if you're deficient in iron in the body, your inner eyelid may seem more white.
– It usually takes 2 to 3 weeks of taking regular iron supplements before your symptoms start to improve. – You may need to keep taking iron for several months to build up your iron reserves and keep your anemia from returning. Take your pills for as long as your doctor recommends, even if your symptoms have improved.
Low iron intake resulting from diet and accelerated iron loss, which occurs through bleeding or breastfeeding, are the main causes of iron deficiency. The first symptoms of iron deficiency anemia tend to be neurological resulting in brain fog and fatigue.
A large 2020 study in BMC Psychiatry found that people with iron deficiency anemia had a significantly higher incidence and risk of anxiety disorders, depression, sleep disorder, and psychotic disorders.
What does the headache feel like? The type of headache a person experiences as a result of iron-deficiency anemia can vary. Some people will experience a dull aching sensation throughout their head. They may also feel lightheaded or dizzy.
This ferritin is developmentally regulated and protects against UV damage and iron exacerbation of this damage due to reactive oxygen species (Cai et al. 2008; Cai et al. 1998). This type of protection would be extremely important for a tissue like the cornea, which is constantly exposed to UV light.
If you are deficient in iron, the supply of oxygen to the body tissues is hampered. This makes the skin appear paler, making your dark circles look more pronounced. Green vegetables, pumpkin seeds, lentils, and beans are some good sources of iron.
Iron and Hair Health. If you are not getting enough iron through your diet, you may experience excessive hair shedding (Telogen Effluvium). You may also find that your hair will not grow past a certain length.
Iron deficiency anemia arises when the balance of iron intake, iron stores, and the body's loss of iron are insufficient to fully support production of erythrocytes. Iron deficiency anemia rarely causes death, but the impact on human health is significant.
Living with anemia
Following treatment, most people go on to live normal, healthy lives. However, anemia can have lasting, or life-threatening, effects. These are more common if the condition is chronic, severe, or left untreated.
Cooked bananas had significantly higher iron content than raw bananas and phytate content was similar in all the banana samples. Total iron intake from bananas of each group was 1.6 mg of iron/480 g of raw banana and 2.6 mg or iron/500 g of cooked banana.