Advances in Night Vision Technology

Thirteen patients with retinitis pigmentosa and two patients with stationary night blindness with myopia had marked improvements in visual thresholds under scotopic conditions with the aid of a Generation II night vision pocketscope. The symptom of night blindness could be effectively eliminated in these patients. All had visual acuities under scotopic conditions that were comparable to their best visual acuities under photopic conditions. Eleven of the 13 patients with retinitis pigmentosa reported thresholds lower than those obtained from normal dark-adapted subjects tested without the pocketscope. Patients with central fields greater than 10° reported that the pocketscope improved their mobility under scotopic conditions. Advantages of this Generation II pocketscope over a previously described Generation I device are discussed.