Many people who are able to see quite well during the day suffer from an ailment called night blindness. This can seriously affect a person’s ability to enjoy regular activities that take place after dusk. Most people who suffer from night blindness find that driving after this time of evening is simply too dangerous.
Night blindness is something that a person may experience from the time they or born. Others start to experience night blindness as they get older but they often have vision problems already that require them to wear corrective lenses or contacts.
Night blindness is often caused by cells in the retina no longer being able to respond to light. This is thought to be a genetic problem called Nyctalopia. It can also be caused by a lack of Vitamin A in a person’s diet.
When a person attempts to see at night the rods of the retina need to be in good condition to make up for the lack of light. When these cells have been damaged it simply isn’t possible for the person to see in the dark. This can make it extremely difficult to be out at night due to the risk of falling or other injuries.
Many experts believe night blindness is a symptom of other types of disorders in the eyes. The most common one being nearsidedness that goes untreated. There are special eye exams that can be completed in order to help distinguish the reasons behind an individual suffering from night blindness.
Sometimes the cause of night blindness can be treated by adding more Vitamin A to the diet including fish oil. If the individual is diagnosed with glaucoma there are a variety of medications that can assist with improving night vision. For those who suffer from genetic links to night blindness surgery may be a safe alternative. However there are plenty of risks associated with such procedures and they aren’t always effective.
