What Causes Night Blindness?
What Causes Night Blindness?
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Night blindness is also called “nyctalopia.” It’s a type of vision impairment. People with night blindness experience poor vision at night or in dimly lit environments. Although the term “night blindness” implies that you can’t see at night, this isn’t the case. You may just have more complexity seeing or driving in darkness.
Some types of night blindness are treatable, and other types aren’t. See your doctor to determine the underlying reason of your vision impairment. Once you know the reason of the problem, you can take steps to correct your vision.
What Causes Night Blindness?
A number of eye conditions can cause night blindness, including:
- nearsightedness, or blurred vision when looking at faraway objects
- cataracts, or clouding of the eye’s lens
- retinitis pigmentosa, which happen when dark pigment collects in your retina and creates tunnel vision
- Usher syndrome, which is a genetic situation that affects both hearing and vision.
What Are the Symptoms of Night Blindness?
The sole symptom of night blindness is difficulty seeing in the dark. You’re more likely to experience night blindness when your eyes transition from a bright environment to an area of low light, such as when you leave a sunny sidewalk to enter a dimly lit restaurant. You’re likely to experience poor vision when driving due to the intermittent brightness of headlights and streetlights on the road.
Treatment Options for Night Blindness-
Cataracts
Clouded portions of your eye’s lens are known as cataracts. Cataracts can be removed through surgery. Your surgeon will replace your cloudy lens with a clear, artificial lens. Your night blindness will improve significantly after surgery if cataracts are the underlying cause.
Vitamin A Deficiency
If your vitamin A levels are low, your doctor might recommend vitamin supplements. Take the supplements accurately as directed. Most people in developed nations don’t have vitamin A deficiency because they have access to proper nutrition.
Genetic Defect
Genetic situation that cause night blindness, such as retinitis pigmentosa, aren’t treatable. The genetic defect that causes pigment to build up in the retina doesn’t respond to corrective lenses or surgery. People who have this form of night blindness should avoid driving at night.
How Can I Prevent Night Blindness?
You can’t prevent night blindness that’s the result of birth defects or genetic conditions, such as Usher syndrome. You can, however, properly monitor your blood sugar levels and eat a balanced diet to make night blindness less likely.
Eat foods rich in antioxidant vitamins and minerals, which may help stop cataracts. Also, choose foods that contain high levels of vitamin A to reduce your risk of night blindness. Certain orange-colored foods are excellent sources of vitamin A, including:
- pumpkins
- butternut squash
- mangoes
- cantaloupes
- sweet potatoes
- carrots
Vitamin A is also in:
- spinach
- collard greens
- milk
- eggs