Case Report: Nyctalopia Due to Severe Liver Cirrhosis–induced Vitamin A Deficiency

Abstract

SIGNIFICANCE 

Vitamin A is a micronutrient critical for retinal function. Patients with a deficiency may notice a progressive decline in night vision as rod photoreceptors become unable to regenerate rhodopsin. Although uncommon in developed nations, vitamin A deficiency should be considered in symptomatic patients with chronic, severe liver disease.

PURPOSE 

This report presents a rare case of night blindness secondary to poor vitamin A metabolism due to severe liver cirrhosis.

CASE REPORT 

A 62-year-old White woman presented with progressively worsening vision in dim lighting over the past 6 to 8 months. She was asymptomatic in daylight but “blind in the dark” to the extent that she was afraid to go outside at night. She had no personal or family history of night blindness or retinal disorders. Ocular health was unremarkable with dilation. Given her medical history of severe nonalcoholic liver cirrhosis, malabsorption of vitamin A was suspected and subsequently confirmed by the very low vitamin A level in her serum analysis. The patient was sent to endocrinology for evaluation, and appropriate repletion therapy was implemented. Subjective improvement in symptoms, along with better performance on visual field testing, was noted after initiating oral vitamin A supplementation for 5 months.

CONCLUSIONS 

Although vitamin A deficiency is a relatively rare disorder in the United States, it should be suspected in patients with severe liver disease or other conditions causing malabsorption who experience a loss of night vision.