Is night blindness related to myopia?

Written by Li Zhen Dong
Ophthalmology
Updated on September 13, 2024
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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
1min 1sec home-news-image

Night blindness will have what impact?

Night blindness is a common ophthalmological symptom, primarily characterized by poor vision in dim environments. Many factors can cause night blindness, such as advanced glaucoma, retinal pigment degeneration, vitamin A deficiency, etc. It is crucial to seek timely ophthalmic examination at a hospital to diagnose the specific cause of night blindness and then implement targeted treatments. Otherwise, the condition may gradually worsen. For example, night blindness caused by advanced glaucoma can progressively lead to blindness. If night blindness caused by a deficiency in vitamin A is not treated in time, it can also lead to dry eye syndrome, keratomalacia, and other issues. Regarding treatment, night blindness caused by vitamin A deficiency can be treated with oral vitamin A capsules. For night blindness caused by advanced glaucoma, surgical treatment to reduce eye pressure is necessary to halt the progression of the condition.

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Written by Li Zhuo
Ophthalmology
1min 23sec home-news-image

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 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
1min 14sec home-news-image

What causes sudden night blindness?

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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Written by Tao Yuan
Ophthalmology
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Can people with night blindness see things at night?

Individuals with night blindness can still see at night, but with less clarity compared to those with normal vision. Night blindness can be caused by various conditions, such as advanced glaucoma, retinal pigment degeneration, Vitamin A deficiency, and poor nourishment of the rod cells in the retina. It occurs due to damage to the rod cells on the retina, which are responsible for dark vision, preventing them from functioning normally. Diagnosis can be confirmed through dark adaptation tests and electroretinography at an ophthalmology department in hospitals. Treatment for night blindness should be based on the underlying cause; for instance, if caused by Vitamin A deficiency, the condition can be treated by supplementing Vitamin A, thus either restoring health, or preventing and slowing further deterioration of the condition.