Community Nutrition

COMMUNITY NUTRITION 3 (1+2)

Lesson 4 : Clinical Assessment of Nutritional Status

Eyes

Pale Conjunctiva	:	Pallor of the conjunctiva
Conjunctival Xerosis	:	Dry, thickening, pigmentation and lack of luster and transparency of the bulbar conjunctiva.
Bitot’s Spots	:	These are usually well – demarcated, superficial, dry, grayish silvery or chalky–white foamy plaques, often triangular in shape, present at the temporal side or nasal side of the eyes.
Corneal Xerosis	:	The cornea is hazy or opaque, frequently with a bluish milky appearance, usually most marked in the lower central area. It is due in part to cellular infiltration of the corneal stroma. Corneal xerosis is usually accompanied by conjunctival xerosis. Both cornea usually show change, sometimes to a widely varying degree. Photophobia, pain and inflammatory congestion are not usually present.
Keratomalacia	:	Softening of the entire thickness of part or more often the whole of the cornea, leading to perforation and iris prolapse.