Question

A patient came with nyctalopia. Rational image given below, what will be the diagnosis?

• A. Retinitis pigmentosa
• B. Vitamin A deficiency
• C. Retinal detachment
• D. Diabetic retinopathy

Hint:

Retinitis pigmentosa is a common cause of nyctalopia, often beginning with difficulty seeing in low light and progressing to peripheral vision loss.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

To diagnose a condition based on the symptom of nyctalopia (night blindness) and the rational image provided, we need to match the symptom with the most likely associated condition from the given options. Nyctalopia often points towards degenerative retinal conditions.

Based on the information:

• Nyctalopia: A symptom characterized by poor vision in low-light conditions or darkness, typically indicating a problem with the rod cells in the retina.
• Retinitis pigmentosa (Correct Answer): This is a group of genetic disorders where there is a breakdown and loss of cells in the retina. It often presents with symptoms like nyctalopia due to rod cell deterioration.
• Vitamin A deficiency: While this can cause night blindness, it is generally addressed through dietary changes and presents with additional symptoms like dryness of the skin.
• Retinal detachment: This does not typically present with nyctalopia as the primary symptom; rather, it involves sudden vision changes like flashes and floaters.
• Diabetic retinopathy: This condition involves damage to the retinal blood vessels due to diabetes, generally not presenting initially with nyctalopia.

Given the specific symptom of nyctalopia, Retinitis pigmentosa emerges as the most fitting diagnosis from the options provided, owing to its association with night blindness as an early symptom.