Night blindness, also known as nyctalopia, is the inability to see well at night or in low light. It is often associated with an inability to adapt quickly from a well-lit to a poorly lit environment. When driving at night, it can cause problems seeing road signs and intense exposure to lights. Although there are many different causes, it occurs as a symptom of an existing eye disease. Treatment depends on the underlying cause.
Although it negatively affects vision, it does not necessarily cause blindness. This condition, which occurs due to different eye disorders and is characterized by problems seeing in weak and low light or in the dark, develops as a symptom, not as a disease.
What Causes Night Blindness?
Many different conditions may be among the causes of night blindness . It is reported to develop especially due to some problems in the retina. It can also occur as a result of vitamin deficiency or a different eye condition. It is known as an important cause of this condition with functional disorders in the cells in the retina layer that provide black and white vision. In addition to these, the factors that cause gene blindness are as follows:
Myopia
In this condition, also called nearsightedness, there may be a decrease in visual field and acuity in environments with low and poor light.
Cataract
It is a blurring of vision as a result of a decrease in the transparency of the lens of the eye. Especially when driving at night, the headlights of vehicles coming from the opposite direction disturb the eye and cause difficulties.
Diabetes (Diabetes)
Increased sugar in the blood as a result of diabetes can accumulate in the eye tissues as well as in different tissues. In such cases, visual functions may be impaired.
Vitamin A Deficiency
It is a condition that can be seen in people with vitamin A deficiency. Especially in case of impaired fat digestion, vitamin A, which is absorbed with fat, cannot be taken into the body in the required amount. In such cases, there is a disruption in the production of retinal molecules and vision loss in low light develops.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is also known as eye pressure. Pain and discomfort are experienced when the intraocular fluids increase for different reasons and put pressure on the eye tissues. As a result of such situations, a contraction reflex develops in the pupil. A decrease in the light and image entering the eye also causes this condition.
Keratoconus
It is a deformity of the cornea layer. In case of deformity, there is a significant deterioration in the amount of light and image entering the eye.
Retinitis Pigmentosa
It is a genetic disease characterized by severe damage to the cells in the retina that are responsible for vision. Since the retinal problem occurs, this condition can be encountered in the early stages.
What are the Symptoms of Night Blindness?
Symptoms of night blindness include common and prominent conditions. The findings and complaints observed in most cases can be listed as follows:
- When the eyes enter a poorly lit environment from a well-lit environment, they cannot adapt quickly and adapt more slowly than normal
- Not being able to see the stars in the sky and not being able to provide adequate vision in low-light environments
- When driving at night, the headlights of oncoming vehicles can be distracting and road signs and markings are not clearly visible
- Dry eyes and hypersensitivity to light
In addition to the symptoms and signs given above, experts believe that there may be different causes underlying this type of disorder and that people with this type of disorder should take care not to drive, especially at night.
How is a night blindness test performed?
Thenight blindness test measures the adaptation time of the eyes to darkness. It is a simple test and can be repeated afterwards. In addition, this test checks the pigment cells in the patient's retina and evaluates how the patient sees in dim light and how much they see.
How is night blindness treated?
The treatment of night blindness is based on determining which disease this condition is caused by and what exactly the underlying cause is. After the underlying causes are determined by the ophthalmologist and a definitive diagnosis is made, treatment planning is made.
If the disease diagnosed by the specialist is treatable, the necessary methods can be applied and recovery can be achieved. However, in some cases this condition cannot be treated. In particular, there is no treatment for a genetic disorder that develops due to retinitis pigmentosa.
In some cases, this problem can be treated by wearing glasses or changing glaucoma medications. If the underlying cause is cataracts, surgical intervention may be necessary. However, if a retinal disorder is detected, depending on the type of retinal problem, this is handled by a retina specialist and further evaluation and investigation is performed.
When a condition such as diabetes is found to be the cause, blood sugar levels are controlled with methods such as nutrition, diet and medication to prevent vision loss.
In a situation that develops due to problems such as vitamin A deficiency or zinc deficiency, vision loss is tried to be prevented by providing the necessary supplements. Special night glasses are also recommended in some cases and can improve vision in dark and low-light environments.