The first symptom of Tavuk karası (night blindness) is typically difficulty seeing at night or in dimly lit environments. In the early stages of the condition, even before distinct findings appear in routine eye examinations, patients begin to experience problems adapting to darkness. For instance, when moving from a brightly lit area to a darker place (such as a stairwell or a dimly lit room), initial disorientation occurs, and it takes much longer than normal to adapt to the environment. While healthy individuals also have some adaptation time, this period is significantly prolonged in people with night blindness.

As the condition progresses and the loss of retinal rod cells increases, distinct changes begin to be detected in eye examinations, and night vision significantly deteriorates. In advanced stages, visual field constriction (peripheral vision loss, known as tunnel vision or binocular vision) occurs. In the final stages of the disease, central vision loss may develop, rarely resulting in complete blindness.

The general and comprehensive symptoms of Tavuk karası are as follows:

* Increased sensitivity to light (photophobia)
* Significant difficulty seeing at night or in dim light
* Decreased daytime visual acuity in advanced stages
* Narrowing of the visual field (for example, being able to see a light directly in front but seeing the sides as dark or not at all)