Final answer:
Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is the inherited retinal dystrophy affecting rod cells, leading to night blindness and peripheral vision loss.
Step-by-step explanation:
The condition described in the question is Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), an inherited retinal dystrophy. RP primarily affects the rod cells, which are crucial for peripheral and nighttime vision, ultimately causing night blindness and a progressive loss of the peripheral visual field, often described as tunnel vision. The disease can vary in onset and severity, but generally, by affecting the rod cells in the retina, RP disrupts the visual cycle, compromising the person's ability to see in low light and eventually leading to a decline in peripheral vision.