Which term describes a hereditary progressive disease marked by night blindness with tunnel vision?

Which term describes a hereditary progressive disease marked by night blindness with tunnel vision?

• A. Hyperopia
• B. Macular degeneration
• C. Analgesic
• D. Retinitis pigmentosa

Answer: (D)

Night blindness paired with progressive narrowing of the visual field points to a hereditary retinal dystrophy that begins with rod dysfunction. Retinitis pigmentosa fits this description best: it’s a genetic, progressive degeneration of the retina in which night vision is lost early and peripheral (side) vision progressively constricts, leading to tunnel vision as the disease advances. The other options describe conditions that don’t match this pattern: hyperopia is a static refractive error causing farsightedness, macular degeneration affects central vision and typically occurs later in life, and an analgesic is simply a pain-relief medication with no retinal disease implications.

Night blindness paired with progressive narrowing of the visual field points to a hereditary retinal dystrophy that begins with rod dysfunction. Retinitis pigmentosa fits this description best: it’s a genetic, progressive degeneration of the retina in which night vision is lost early and peripheral (side) vision progressively constricts, leading to tunnel vision as the disease advances. The other options describe conditions that don’t match this pattern: hyperopia is a static refractive error causing farsightedness, macular degeneration affects central vision and typically occurs later in life, and an analgesic is simply a pain-relief medication with no retinal disease implications.