Is it useful to wear glasses for night blindness?

Written by Tao Yuan

Ophthalmology

Updated on September 11, 2024

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Patients with night blindness cannot improve their symptoms by fitting glasses. Fitting glasses is mainly used to correct refractive errors, such as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, etc., whereas night blindness is not caused by refractive errors. It is usually caused by the following reasons: First, it may be caused by retinal pigment degeneration, for which there is currently no effective treatment. Avoiding strong light stimulation can help delay the progression of the disease. Second, it may be caused by late-stage glaucoma, which requires treatment with medication or surgery to reduce eye pressure in order to stop and delay the progression of the disease. Third, it may be caused by malnutrition of the rod cells, related to genetic factors, for which there is also no effective treatment available. Fourth, it may be caused by a lack of vitamin A, which can be treated by taking vitamin A capsules orally. (Please follow medical advice when using medication.)

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Written by Li Zhuo

Ophthalmology

1min 23sec

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Can people with night blindness undergo myopia surgery?

Night blindness is mostly due to abnormalities in the retinal pigment epithelial cells, because when these cells are abnormal, it leads to abnormalities in the rod cells, which sometimes leads to night blindness. This is because rod cells are responsible for seeing in low light, proving that this refractive system’s weakness is akin to a camera’s film being damaged. In the case of performing surgery for nearsightedness, it is primarily because there's an issue with the eye’s refractive system, similar to having a damaged camera lens. While a damaged lens can be repaired, if the film is faulty, even a perfectly repaired lens won't improve the camera's imaging function. Thus, night blindness primarily involves the retina, whereas surgery for nearsightedness mainly involves the lens and cornea. If the retina's condition is poor, then vision improvement from nearsightedness surgery will be limited because the effectiveness of such surgery relies on the pre-surgery vision achievable with glasses. If vision with glasses is inadequate, the surgical outcomes tend to be suboptimal. Generally, we do not recommend laser surgery for patients with night blindness.

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Written by Wang Hui Zhen

Ophthalmology

1min 7sec

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Does night blindness lead to blindness?

Night blindness, if severe, can lead to blindness. Night blindness refers to blurred vision at night or in dimly lit environments, or even total inability to see, causing difficulty in movement and affecting normal life. Night blindness can be categorized into congenital night blindness, acquired night blindness, and temporary night blindness. Congenital night blindness is mostly related to congenital genetic factors, where patients are born with a lack of the ability to synthesize rhodopsin, leading to night blindness. Acquired night blindness is often due to diseases of the retina itself, and it is advisable to actively treat the underlying disease, which can cure most cases. Temporary night blindness is mostly due to a lack of vitamin A in the diet or due to certain digestive system diseases affecting the absorption of vitamin A, for which it is advisable to follow medical advice and supplement with an appropriate amount of vitamin A and other treatments.

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Written by Tao Yuan

Ophthalmology

52sec

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Early symptoms of night blindness

Night blindness is a common early symptom of eye diseases, manifested by blurred vision in dim environments. When transitioning from bright to dark environments, it takes a longer time to gradually adapt. There are many causes of night blindness, such as common ones including vitamin A deficiency, malnutrition of rod cells, and advanced glaucoma. If symptoms of night blindness occur, it is necessary to visit an ophthalmologist in a hospital soon for diagnostic evaluation to determine the specific cause. For night blindness caused by vitamin A deficiency, recovery can be promoted by taking oral vitamin A capsules. There is currently no effective treatment for night blindness caused by malnutrition of rod cells. For those caused by advanced glaucoma, surgical treatment is needed to delay or prevent the progression of the condition.

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Written by Wang Hui Zhen

Ophthalmology

1min 21sec

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What should I do if night blindness is afraid of sunlight?

People with night blindness, who are sensitive to sunlight, can wear sunglasses when going out, and should actively seek treatment for night blindness. Night blindness refers to the blurriness or complete inability to see in dim light or at night, which makes mobility difficult. Night blindness can be categorized into congenital night blindness, acquired night blindness, and temporary night blindness. Congenital night blindness is mostly related to hereditary factors, where patients are born lacking the ability to synthesize rhodopsin, leading to night blindness. It is recommended to supplement vitamin A in appropriate amounts, and gene therapy is a potential treatment direction. Acquired night blindness is generally caused by diseases of the retina or other eye conditions, and it is recommended to actively treat the primary disease. Temporary night blindness is often due to a lack of vitamin A in the diet or due to some digestive system diseases affecting the absorption of vitamin A. It is advisable to supplement vitamin A as per medical advice and actively treat digestive tract diseases.

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Written by Tao Yuan

Ophthalmology

1min 1sec

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Is it useful to wear glasses for night blindness?

Patients with night blindness cannot improve their symptoms by fitting glasses. Fitting glasses is mainly used to correct refractive errors, such as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, etc., whereas night blindness is not caused by refractive errors. It is usually caused by the following reasons: First, it may be caused by retinal pigment degeneration, for which there is currently no effective treatment. Avoiding strong light stimulation can help delay the progression of the disease. Second, it may be caused by late-stage glaucoma, which requires treatment with medication or surgery to reduce eye pressure in order to stop and delay the progression of the disease. Third, it may be caused by malnutrition of the rod cells, related to genetic factors, for which there is also no effective treatment available. Fourth, it may be caused by a lack of vitamin A, which can be treated by taking vitamin A capsules orally. (Please follow medical advice when using medication.)