What causes sudden night blindness?

Written by Wang Hui Zhen
Ophthalmology
Updated on December 31, 2024
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There are many causes of sudden night blindness. Night blindness refers to blurry vision or even complete inability to see in low-light conditions such as nighttime, possibly even leading to difficulties in movement.

Night blindness can be categorized into congenital, acquired, and temporary types. Congenital night blindness is mostly related to genetic factors, where the patient is born with a deficiency in synthesizing rhodopsin, leading to night blindness. Temporary night blindness is often due to a lack of Vitamin A in the diet, or due to some digestive system diseases that affect the absorption of Vitamin A. Acquired night blindness is usually caused by diseases of the retina or the eye itself.

Therefore, if sudden night blindness occurs, it is recommended to go to a reputable hospital's ophthalmology department for comprehensive examinations such as visual acuity, intraocular pressure, slit lamp, dilated fundus examination, and if necessary, further tests like fundus fluorescein angiography to identify the cause and provide targeted treatment.

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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 Wang Hui Zhen
Ophthalmology
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Does night blindness also cause a decrease in vision during the day?

Patients with severe night blindness also experience a decline in vision during the day. Night blindness refers to the blurriness or complete inability to see in the dark or dimly lit environments, causing difficulties in movement. In severe cases, vision can also decline during the day. Night blindness can be categorized into congenital, acquired, and temporary night blindness. Congenital night blindness is mostly related to congenital genetic factors, where patients inherently lack the ability to synthesize rhodopsin, leading to night blindness. Acquired night blindness is often due to diseases of the retina or other eye diseases, and it is recommended 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 affecting Vitamin A absorption, and it is advised to supplement Vitamin A and other treatments as prescribed by a doctor.

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Written by Tao Yuan
Ophthalmology
1min 1sec home-news-image

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.)

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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 Tao Yuan
Ophthalmology
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What should be paid attention to in night blindness?

Night blindness is a common symptom in ophthalmology and can be caused by many reasons. Once night blindness occurs, patients need to promptly visit an eye clinic for a face-to-face examination to diagnose the cause, and then treat it based on the specific cause. The common causes include the following: First, it can be caused by late-stage glaucoma. Surgery is needed to reduce intraocular pressure to halt the progression of the disease; otherwise, it may lead to complete blindness. Second, it can be due to a deficiency of vitamin A, related to long-term poor diet and malnutrition. It often also includes symptoms such as dryness of the conjunctiva and softening of the cornea, which can be treated by taking vitamin A capsules orally. Third, it is caused by malnutrition of the rod cells in the retina. Currently, there is no effective treatment for this condition.