Vitamin A (Vitamin A acetate) and Night Blindness

Vitamin A plays a critical role in normal vision, particularly in the formation of rhodopsin, a pigment found in the retina that is essential for vision in low-light conditions. Night blindness (nyctalopia) is one of the earliest and most specific symptoms of vitamin A deficiency. There is robust scientific validation for the use of vitamin A (including vitamin A acetate, a common supplement form) in preventing and treating night blindness.

Multiple clinical studies and decades of nutritional research have demonstrated that vitamin A deficiency impairs the regeneration of rhodopsin, leading to poor adaptation to darkness and night blindness. Supplementation with vitamin A reliably reverses this symptom in deficient individuals. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other major health authorities recommend vitamin A supplementation as the standard treatment for night blindness resulting from deficiency, especially in populations at risk such as children in developing countries.

Historical records also indicate that the use of liver (a rich source of vitamin A) to treat night blindness dates back to ancient Egypt. Modern medicine, however, has confirmed the underlying mechanism and effectiveness through controlled studies. Therefore, the use of vitamin A (vitamin A acetate) for night blindness is strongly supported by scientific evidence.