-Background -Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for severe obesity, but the surgery increases the risk of developing nutritional deficiencies, such as vitamin A deficiency. In human metabolism, vitamin A plays a role in vision. Objective -To evaluate serum vitamin A, visual function and ocular surface of patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Methods -A cross-sectional and analytical study was conduced with 28 patients undergoing bariatric surgery for at least 6 months. Ophthalmologic evaluation was done through color vision test, contrast sensitivity test, ocular surface tests and confocal microscopy, as well as vitamin A serum measurement. Results -Vertical sleeve gastrectomy was performed in seven (25.0%) patients and Roux-en-Y gastric by-pass in 21 (75.0%). Mean serum vitamin A level was 1.7±0.5 µmoL/L. Most patients (60.7%) had symptoms of dry eye. Five (17.9%) patients had contrast sensitivity impairment and 18 (64.3%) color vision changes. In the group of patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric by-pass, mean vitamin A levels were 1.8±0.6 µmoL/L, whereas they were 1.7±0.5 µmoL/L in patients submitted to the restrictive technique vertical sleeve gastrectomy. The analysis of the influence of serum levels of vitamin A in the visual function and ocular surface was performed by Pearson correlation test and there was no significant correlation between any of the variables and vitamin A. Conclusion -There was no influence of the bariatric surgery technique used on serum vitamin A levels, on the visual function or on the ocular surface. Moreover, there was no correlation between serum levels of vitamin A and the visual function or the ocular surface changes. HEADINGS -Bariatric surgery. Vitamin A deficiency. Night blindness. Xerophthalmia.
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