antiophthalmic factor

noun

Meaning

A historical name for vitamin A, recognized for its essential role in maintaining healthy vision and preventing eye diseases like xerophthalmia.

Examples

  • Early nutrition research often referred to vitamin A as the antiophthalmic factor due to its protective effects on the cornea.
  • The identification of the antiophthalmic factor marked a major breakthrough in understanding how diet prevents blindness.

Synonyms: vitamin A, retinol