Night Blindness, also known as nyctalopia, is a condition where people experience vision deficiency at night or in any place with dim or limited lighting. Although the name of the condition states that it is a case of blindness, it merely means that you face difficulty with your vision at night or in areas of low lighting. Depending on the cause and condition, the treatment of the condition varies.
What Causes Night Blindness?
Night blindness usually occurs as a consequence of other conditions such as:
- Glaucoma: An eye condition where the optic nerve that links the eye to the brain gets damaged. You will experience increased pressure in your eyes and, as a result, it can cause you to lose your vision permanently as well.
- Cataracts: This happens when the protein of your lens breaks down due to aging and makes the lens cloudy. This condition can affect your vision, especially your ability to see in low lighting.
- Myopia: Also known as nearsightedness, makes your vision blurry and leaves you incapable of looking at objects far away.
- Vitamin A Deficiency: If you have vitamin A, you are bound to experience serious problems with your vision. Vitamin A keeps your eye functions optimal and helps in the production of proteins that aid the retina absorb light.
- Retinitis Pigmentosa: It is a rare kind of genetic condition that involves a group of eye diseases that can damage the retina and cause you to have problems seeing in low lighting.
What You Can Do
- Take Care Of Your Diet
It is possible to treat night blindness through your diet. You can control what you consume and make sure your intake includes enough vitamin A and other essential nutrients. You can eat food rich in antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins to prevent cataracts which is a common cause of night blindness. Orange, yellow, and green vegetables are rich in vitamin A and can be included in sufficient amounts with your diet for prevention and cure.
- Maintain Diabetes
Diabetes causes a condition in the back of your eyes called diabetic retinopathy that causes loss of vision. Through regular exercise and leading an active lifestyle, you can keep your diabetes in check. In addition, you can maintain a healthy diet to regulate your blood sugar levels that are directly related to the onset and continuance of diabetes.
- Get Regular Eye Checkups
Sometimes eye conditions that cause night blindness do not show any symptoms or signs until much later where the vision has been affected or lost. It is recommended to regularly schedule eye checkups with an eye specialist for early detection. Once the condition is diagnosed, you can immediately take action to treat it efficiently.
- Cataract Surgery
You can get cataracts removed through surgery. Your eye doctor will remove the blurry lens and replace it with an artificial lens that can provide you with a clear vision. Through cataract surgery, night blindness can be reduced significantly if cataracts have been confirmed as a cause.