Blindness in a Strict Vegan

To the Editor: Vegetarians are at risk for nutritional deficiency if they do not receive vitamin supplementation. We report a case of severe bilateral optic neuropathy in a patient who had been a vegan for many years and who did not take vitamin supplements. The patient, a 33-year-old man who had started a strict vegetarian diet at the age of 20 years, was referred for evaluation of progressive visual loss. “Improved health” was the reason for the diet, which contained no eggs, dairy products, fish, or other sources of animal proteins. He did not smoke or use alcohol, and his . . .