In turtles, swollen eyelids and conjunctivitis are most consistent with deficiency of which vitamin?

• A. Vitamin C
• B. Vitamin D
• C. Vitamin A
• D. Vitamin E

Answer: (C)

Vitamin A is needed to maintain the health of epithelial surfaces, including the conjunctiva and eyelids. When vitamin A is deficient, the ocular surface becomes dry and inflamed, leading to swollen eyelids and conjunctivitis. This happens because vitamin A supports the mucus-producing goblet cells; with insufficient vitamin A, mucus production decreases and the surface keratinizes, making it more prone to irritation and infection. In turtles, swelling of the eyelids with conjunctivitis is a classic sign of vitamin A deficiency.

Deficiencies of the other vitamins tend to produce different problems: vitamin D deficiency causes metabolic bone disease, vitamin C deficiency leads to connective tissue issues and hemorrhages, and vitamin E deficiency generally affects muscles or nerves rather than causing primary ocular surface inflammation.