What will happen if night blindness is not treated?

Written by Wang Hui Zhen
Ophthalmology
Updated on September 26, 2024
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Night blindness, if left untreated, can progress slowly in some cases and more rapidly in others, potentially leading to blindness quickly. Therefore, it is recommended to visit a hospital for diagnosis and targeted treatment if night blindness occurs. Night blindness refers to the blurriness or even complete inability to see in low light conditions or at night, causing difficulty in movement. Night blindness can be categorized into congenital night blindness, acquired night blindness, and temporary night blindness. Congenital night blindness is mostly related to genetic factors. Patients are born with a deficiency in synthesizing rhodopsin, which leads to night blindness. It is recommended to supplement with Vitamin A as per medical advice, though the treatment effectiveness for congenital night blindness is generally poor, and gene therapy is considered a direction for the future. Acquired night blindness is often caused by diseases intrinsic to the eye, and it is advisable to actively treat the primary disease. Temporary night blindness is mostly due to a lack of Vitamin A in the diet or due to certain digestive system diseases that affect the absorption of Vitamin A; hence, it is recommended to supplement Vitamin A as advised by a doctor.

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Written by Li Zhen Dong
Ophthalmology
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Is night blindness related to myopia?

Night blindness generally has little to do with myopia. Night blindness can be divided into congenital night blindness and acquired night blindness, caused by retinal dysfunction. Myopia makes distant objects appear blurry and near objects clear, primarily due to changes in the eye's axis. Night blindness does not involve changes in visual acuity or the eye's axis. Once night blindness occurs, one should actively seek an ophthalmological examination and receive proper treatment. Currently, the treatment for myopia mainly includes corrective glasses, orthokeratology (corneal reshaping therapy), and surgical treatments.

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Written by Tao Yuan
Ophthalmology
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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
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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
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Is night blindness a recessive genetic disease?

Night blindness is not a recessive genetic disease; it is merely a symptom caused by many ophthalmic diseases. The primary manifestation is difficulty seeing in dim environments and requiring a longer time to adapt when moving from bright to dim settings. There are various causes of night blindness, with common ones including vitamin A deficiency, malnutrition of rod cells, and advanced glaucoma. Therefore, when a patient exhibits symptoms of night blindness, it is crucial to seek medical attention promptly. A doctor can determine the specific cause through a comprehensive examination and implement targeted treatment. The primary diseases causing night blindness are mostly non-hereditary; for example, vitamin A deficiency is mainly related to malnutrition and picky eating, which can be treated by supplementing vitamin A.

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Written by Li Zhuo
Ophthalmology
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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.