Causes of night blindness

Purpose To describe the causes of both genetically determined and acquired night blindness. Methods A case presentation format will be used to illustrate different genetically determined and acquired conditions leading to night blindness. Both clinical and electrophysiological phenotypes as well as genotypes will be discussed. Results Phenotypes and genotypes of genetically determined diseases leading to night blindness are very different. An important distinction to be made is the one between stationary and progressive diseases. Indeed, other than night blindness the visual outcome differs considerably between different conditions. Conclusion The causes of night blindness are diverse. Taking a thorough history in combination with an extensive clinical examination and psychophysical and electrophysiological tests most often allows a to make a specific diagnosis. Acquired conditions are generally treatable, and should be differentiated from those that are inherited. For genetic disease, it is important to distinguish between progressive and stationary conditions.