A device for backlighting a display in day- or night-vision mode includes a light guide with a cuboid shape and having an output face, and a lateral input prism having three rectangular lateral faces, at least one of the rectangular lateral faces being optically coupled to the lateral input face, and another of the rectangular lateral faces being semi-reflective; a first plurality of light emitting diodes arranged on a first carrier and configured to emit light in a first direction orthogonal to the first carrier towards one of the rectangular lateral faces; a second plurality of light emitting diodes arranged on a second carrier and configured to emit light in a second direction orthogonal to the second carrier towards another of the rectangular lateral faces; and an optical filter configured to modify the light emitted by one of the first and second plurality of light emitting diodes suitable for use in night-vision equipment.