Night blindness is a kind of vision impairment called nyctalopia. One of the main night blindness symptoms is the inability to see correctly at night. It does not mean the person cannot see at night; it just means they may have difficulty. There are different kinds of night blindness; some may be treated while others cannot. Let’s understand more about it in this article.

What is Night Blindness?

Night blindness means when a person cannot see correctly at night or in dim light. This situation can hamper driving during the night. People with signs and symptoms of night blindness may have challenges walking in a dark room, like a movie theater, or watching stars on a clear night. This situation worsens when the person enters a bright room and even has trouble adapting to darkness. 

Night blindness is caused due to the deficiency of vitamin A, and in some cases, it can be a genetic problem. It is often a symptom of other health conditions and not a disease. These symptoms can be related to other eye conditions, which may develop as early as a child or later.

What are the Symptoms of Night Blindness?

Besides being unable to clearly see in the dark or facing difficulties during night driving, you may also experience the below-mentioned symptoms:

  • Headaches
  • Difficulty seeing things at a distance
  • Eye pain
  • Light sensitivity
  • Nausea
  • Cloudy or blurry vision
  • Vomiting

What to Do About Night Blindness Symptoms?

Now that you know what are the symptoms of diseases like night blindness and you notice one of them, it is time to consult your ophthalmologist to get a complete eye check up. It can be the starting of a serious eye problem, a natural aging process, or maybe side effects of any health issues. Therefore, getting it checked is the best next step.

Moreover, there are no exercises or home remedies to treat this situation. Hence, if there is any underlying condition, a timely medical treatment will help in saving the vision. For that, your doctor will be the right person to advise you on what to do next.

Causes of Night Blindness

This condition can be starting from birth or because of a disease, injury, or vitamin A deficiency. Here are some common causes:

  • Nearsightedness – People with difficulty seeing things at a distance may also experience night blindness symptoms. 
  • Retinitis pigmentosa – This is a genetic situation where the retina’s pigment cells are broken, leading to night blindness or loss of peripheral vision.
  • Cataracts – It is clouding of the eye’s natural lens causing loss of vision.
  • Glaucoma – Many diseases that lead to optic nerve damage and further vision loss.
  • Eye surgery – LASIK surgeries may, at times, result in permanent or temporary reduced night vision.
  • Injury – Any eye or brain injury that is connected with vision and may lead to lower night vision.
  • Uncorrected visual error – Some people may see better in day vision and the same vision converts blur during the night. 
  • Eyewear problem – In case your vision is correct, damaged glass and poor lens coating can also cause night blindness.
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Final Thoughts

If your night blindness symptoms are because of a genetic condition, you may not be able to prevent it. However, changing your lifestyle and eating a healthy and balanced diet can prevent it from getting worse. You must eat food that is vitamin A rich and has other nutrients and antioxidants to reduce the risk of this condition to increase. If you feel you have night blindness, take necessary precautions and specifically avoid driving at night until you get adequate