Is night blindness a recessive genetic disease?

Written by Tao Yuan
Ophthalmology
Updated on September 04, 2024
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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 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 Wang Hui Zhen
Ophthalmology
1min 11sec home-news-image

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 Wang Hui Zhen
Ophthalmology
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What will happen if night blindness is not treated?

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 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.

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Written by Li Zhen Dong
Ophthalmology
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Will staying up late worsen night blindness?

If night blindness is caused by congenital reasons, then staying up late generally does not significantly worsen it. If it is caused by acquired eye abnormalities, staying up late will noticeably exacerbate the occurrence of night blindness. Additionally, if it is caused by a deficiency in vitamin A, one should rest properly, reduce close-range activities, avoid staying up late, and supplement with foods or medications containing vitamin A. If the night blindness is due to eye-related causes, active treatment and regular follow-ups are recommended. If it is due to congenital reasons, currently there are no particularly effective treatments available.