Why does methanol poisoning cause blindness?

A rapid medical attention is crucial for the damage to the vision due to the minimum of the contamination from methanol, the ophthalmologists say.

Among the 22 cases of possible contamination from methanol in the state of Saint Paul, five of which have been confirmed and 17 are under investigation, at least three people reported having lost their vision – even partially or temporarily – or they were thus diagnosed.

This is what they reported to the members of the Radharani Domingos press family, who is still hospitalized; And Diogo Marques, who was also hospitalized and said he had a loss of vision, who according to him was then resumed.

Rafael Martins, a friend of Diogo, is in coma since September 1 and not only the vision, but also the brain, hit, according to his mother of the show Fantático of TV Globo.

How can the ingestion of this toxic substance cause such evil to vision, bringing the risk of permanent blindness?

According to the ophthalmologist Ana Luísa Quinta Aleixo, the optical nerve is often one of the first parts of the body to be seriously affected by methanol intoxication.

He explains that this nerve is composed of nerve fibers that transport signs of light elaborated by the retina of the eye to the brain.

The optical nerve is “extremely sensitive”, adds the doctor.

“Vision is not only a process of the eyeball, it is a process of eye interaction with the brain. And those who make the eye bridge with the brain is this structure called optic nerve”, explains Aleixo, a doctor at the National Institute of Infectology of Fiocruz.

When methanol, a product that should not be available for human consumption, enters the body, is developed by the liver.

According to Aleixo, it therefore becomes formaldehyde – also known as formaldehyde, used in industrial hills and packaging corpses – and therefore formic acid.

This acid is the “real poison” for the body, says the ophthalmologist Hallim Féres Neto.

“The formic acid accumulates in the body and hinders the functioning of the mitochondria, the cellular structures responsible for the production of energy. The cells of the nervous system depend a lot on the energy to function, including optical and retinal nerve cells,” says the doctor of the Brazilian council of ophthalmology and the director of the clinic of the pisma vision.

“By attacking the optical nerve and with a lesser impact the retina also lose the ability to transmit the image of the eye to the brain and this leads to blindness.”

Run against time

The two doctors interviewed by BBC News Brasil are unanimous: rapid medical care are essential to minimize vision damage, other health problems and the risk of death.

According to Ana Luísa Quinta Aleixo, “fast” means that medical treatment should take place within 12 hours of taking methanol. At this point, domestic antidotes should not be used.

Hallim Féres Neto stresses that time could also be more important than the dose itself.

“The lowest doses without a quick service can be worse than the biggest doses but with quick and suitable support,” says the doctor.

“Initial treatment is always an emergency: antidotes, hemodialysis and measures to eliminate body poison.”

But the amount of methanol, of course, matters, recalls Aleixo.

“The greater the dose, the greater the amount of formic acid product, the greater the gravity of the lesions,” explains the ophthalmologist.

There are risk factors that can worsen the situation, doctors say, such as liver diseases, deficiency of folate and some B vitamins, malnutrition and chronic alcoholism.

Aleixo cites a study published in 2022 by the researchers of the Polonie who between 30% and 40% of the survivors of serious methanol poisoning develop a certain degree of loss of vision.

If the service is fast, part of the vision can be preserved. But the doctors interviewed say that when there is already loss, it is very difficult to recover what has already been lost.

“After the optical nerve has been injured, the recovery is very limited because there is no therapy capable of regenerating the nerve,” explains the doctor.

From that moment on, the care of the victims involves treatments with optical assistance, psychological support and other rehabilitation therapies.

“It is a very serious, very sad situation. This poisoning is a tragedy”, summarizes the ophthalmologist.

The federal police and the civil police of San Paolo are investigating the cases in the state, which occurred after the ingestion of spirits purchased in bars and cellars.

Of the 22 possible cases of contamination, five involve deaths. However, so far, in one of these cases there is confirmation that death has occurred after the ingestion of adulterated drinks.

It is not yet known whether the methanol has been added to the counterfeit drinks, or if it is contamination during the normal production of a distillate – despite the declarations provided by the authorities so far indicate the first option.

Methanol has the appearance and taste of alcohol and the first effects are similar: there may be nausea, vomiting, feeling of drunkenness and mental confusion.

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.