Which of the following is the deficiency symptom of Xerophthalmia disease?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Hardening of cornea of eye
Vitamins are needed in small amounts in the diet, and the lack of each one causes a specific deficiency disease. Xerophthalmia is caused by a deficiency of vitamin A: the cornea of the eye becomes hard, and night blindness can follow.
So the symptom of xerophthalmia is hardening of the cornea of the eye.
NCERT (2026-27 edition):
Classification of Vitamins
| Sl. No. | Name of Vitamins | Sources | Deficiency diseases |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Vitamin A | Fish liver oil, carrots, butter and milk | Xerophthalmia (hardening of cornea of eye) Night blindness |
| 5. | Vitamin B12 | Meat, fish, egg and curd | Pernicious anaemia (RBC deficient in haemoglobin) |
| 6. | Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) | Citrus fruits, amla and green leafy vegetables | Scurvy (bleeding gums) |
| 7. | Vitamin D | Exposure to sunlight, fish and egg yolk | Rickets (bone deformities in children) and osteomalacia (soft bones and joint pain in adults) |