Dry Eyes and Bariatric Surgery!

Vitamin A deficiency is an uncommon but important cause of refractory dry eye disease, often missed as a diagnosis. This is often associated with systemic conditions such as malabsorption in adults. This report highlights the diagnostic challenges and management of one such case. A 45-year-old male with a history of bariatric surgery presented with refractory dry eye symptoms unresponsive to standard treatment. Examination revealed conjunctival xerosis and punctate epithelial erosions, and vitamin A deficiency was confirmed. Supplementation resolved the symptoms, and subsequent cataract surgery restored visual acuity to 6/6.