Vitamin A deficiency with night blindness

This code signifies a nutritional deficiency specifically involving Vitamin A, which manifests as impaired vision in low light conditions. Night blindness (nyctalopia) is a hallmark symptom, indicating the retina's reduced ability to adapt to darkness due to insufficient Vitamin A.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states a diagnosis of Vitamin A deficiency and explicitly links it to the symptom of night blindness. This is often seen in cases of malabsorption, inadequate dietary intake, or liver disease affecting Vitamin A metabolism.

• Ensure documentation specifies both Vitamin A deficiency and night blindness; simply documenting night blindness without the underlying deficiency is insufficient.
• Do not use this code for other causes of night blindness (e.g., retinitis pigmentosa) unless Vitamin A deficiency is also present and causative.
• Consider additional codes for underlying conditions contributing to the deficiency, such as malabsorption syndromes or chronic liver disease.