Nyctalopia

Nyctalopia ( night blindness) is an inability to see well at night or in poor light (in a restaurant or movie theater). It is often associated with an inability to quickly adapt from a well-illuminated to a poorly illuminated environment. It is not a disease in itself, but rather a symptom of an underlying eye problem, usually a retina problem.

What happens to the eye in low light?

Our eyes are constantly adjusting to light. When we’re in low or no light, our pupils will get bigger so that more light will enter our eyes. That light is then received by the retina (tissue in the back of our eye) that houses all of the rod and cone cells. Cone cells help us to see colors. Rod cells help us see in the dark or in low light. When those rods are not working well because of a disease, injury, or condition, we can’t see as well or at all in the dark.

What are the most common causes of Nyctalopia ?

Nyctalopia has many possible causes, including:

• Glaucoma medications that work by constricting the pupil.

• Cataracts.

• Retinitis pigmentosa.

• Vitamin A deficiency, especially in individuals who have undergone intestinal bypass surgery.

• Diabetes.

How is night blindness treated?

Treatment for our night blindness depends on the cause. Treatment may be as simple as getting yourself a new eyeglass prescription or switching glaucoma medications, or it may require surgery if the night blindness is caused by cataracts. If you have a retinal disease, the treatment will depend on the type of the disease and will require additional investigation by a retina specialist.

We can’t actually cure nyctalopia but we can do some things that will prevent Nyctalopia. Such as, eating foods that are rich with vitamin A, getting our eyes checked regularly, wearing sunglasses, (UV rays increase your risk of cataracts, macular degeneration and glaucoma) and do some eye exercise regularly.