Bristol teenager loses sight and hearing due to processed food diet

Doctors highlight plight of 19 year old to warn of hidden dangers of poor nutrition

Steven Morris and agency
@stevenmorris20
Tue 3 Sep 2019 11.15 BST Last modified on Tue 3 Sep 2019 17.05 BST

The family of a teenager, from Bristol, who suffered irreversible eyesight loss after surviving on a diet of chips, white bread and processed snacks and meat have spoken of their heartache.

The teenager, now 19, has been a fussy eater from an early age and cannot tolerate the texture of fruit and vegetables.

His poor diet caused him to suffer from nutritional optic neuropathy, which is treatable if diagnosed early. In his case, fibres in his optic nerve have been so badly damaged that the harm to his sight has been judged to be permanent.

Speaking anonymously, the teenager’s mother said he could not find work and had had to abandon a college course in IT.

She said her son became a fussy eater when he was about seven and would only eat chips, crisps, sausages, processed ham and white bread.

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