Boy, 17 goes BLIND after only eating bangers, chips, Pringles and white bread for decade

A BOY went legally blind aged 17 after almost a decade of eating only bangers, chips, Pringles, white bread and processed ham.

His diet was so bad that he suffered a condition normally only seen in malnourished children in the Third World.

The lad — who is called Jake and is of average height and weight — has also gone partially deaf.

Jake said he did not like the texture of other foods and was described as an “extremely fussy eater” by medics.

But Mum Angie, from Bristol, stressed she did all she could to help her son and blamed the NHS for not having done more.

She told The Sun: “If I was reading this about somebody else’s child I would blame the parents for their poor diet.

“But I know I did all I could for Jake. I used to feed him fruit and vegetables and send him to school with a healthy lunch.

“He would pick at his food at home like any child does. I didn’t realise it was so serious.

“He looked healthy, was a good height and weight and played football with his friends.”

Baffled

Angie first took her son to the doctors when he was 14 after he complained about tiredness.

Medics initially diagnosed him with anaemia and he was given vitamin injections an told to eat plenty of meat and veg.

But a year later, he developed problems with his sight and hearing – leaving medics stumped.

He was eventually diagnosed with nutritional optic neuropathy aged 17 after tests revealed he had vitamin B12 deficiency and low copper and selenium levels.

The condition is usually caused by drugs or poor diet combined with alcoholism or smoking.

The whole ordeal has been very traumatic. I want to scream about what we have gone through – it’s all very hard

Mum Angie

Jake told medics at Bristol Eye Hospital he did not drink, take drugs or smoke but had had eaten a limited diet for years – including regular bangers and chip takeaways.

Angie said: “They initially said it was all in his head. By the time they realised what was wrong it was too late to save his sight.

“The whole ordeal has been very traumatic. I want to scream about what we have gone through – it’s all very hard.

“I have two other children who don’t stop eating. They are fine.”

Jake, now 19, wears a hearing aid and is unable to work.

He dropped out of college and spends most of his time in his room.

Jake told The Sun: “I’ve become very isolated. When I was little I’d go out and play football with my friends. I’m too frightened to do that now.”

I’ve become very isolated. When I was little I’d go out and play football with my friends. I’m too frightened to do that now

Jake

He continues to eat a limited diet and is struggling to get appointments with an NHS counsellor.

Jake added: “I’d encourage people to get help as soon as they realise they have an eating problem.

“I can’t remember when it started but it quickly got out of control and I let it progress too far.”

Medics at Bristol Eye Hospital revealed Jake’s story in the Annals of Internal Medicine’s case reports.

Dr Denize Atan said it was “the most serious case” of blindness caused by junk food she had ever seen.

The doctor, from Bristol Eye Hospital, said: “This shows the importance of eating a balanced diet with fruit and veg.

“The patient took fussy eating to the extreme and now has permanent loss of vision and some hearing impairments.

“It started when he was at primary school but his issues were not addressed until it was too late.

“Cases like this are rare in developed countries.”

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