What Causes Night Blindness (Nyctalopia)?

Vitamin A Deficiency

Vitamin A is a nutrient necessary for multiple functions in the body. It's fat-soluble, so any supplements should be taken with food. In addition to helping with vision, vitamin A is also necessary for a strong immune system, healthy skin, and a healthy reproductive system. In foods, vitamin A comes in provitamin A or preformed vitamin A forms. The preformed kind, also called retinol, can typically be found in dairy, eggs, fish, and meat. With the provitamin kind, the body converts the carotenoids found in plant matter into vitamin A it then absorbs. A vitamin A deficiency rarely occurs in developed nations but is common in developing countries. Individuals with the highest risk of deficiency include children, infants, breastfeeding mothers, and pregnant women. In addition to night blindness, a vitamin A deficiency can cause dry skin, dry eyes, infertility, issues conceiving, delayed growth in children, infections in the throat and chest, poor wound healing, and acne.

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