What is night blindness and is it a reason to worry?

Do you have trouble seeing after dusk? Do you suffer from blurred vision in badly lit rooms?

It may be the first sign of nyctalopia – night blindness, also known as nocturnal amblyopia. It should not be ignored as it may even lead to vision loss if left untreated. What is night blindness and how can it be treated? Find out by reading the rest of the article.

Nyctalopia is a vision defect characterised by poor vision after dark and in dimly lit rooms. It results from the degeneration of rod cells, which are one of the main elements of the retina. Rods contain rhodopsin – a pigment responsible for seeing after dusk. Night blindness is a graduał proces, which means that visual acuity keeps worsening every day. People suffering from nyctalopia may have trouble seeing not only after dark but also when they move from a bright into a dark room. One of the symptoms of nyctalopia, apart from vision disorders, may also be eye dryness causing eye irritation.

The causes of nyctalopia may be different. It may be a congenital defect, genetically conditioned, or a hereditary defect, resulting from retinal dystrophy (e.g. retinitis pigmentosa). However, the most common cause of night blindness is excessive corneal and conjunctival keratinization – mostly a result of vitamin A deficiency. Therefore, the risk of developing nyctalopia increases in people who follow an unhealthy diet and in those with eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia. Night blindness is a common problem among people addicted to alcohol. It may also be a condition accompanying cataract or glaucoma.

Nyctalopia is a progressive and so far irreversible disease. This is why it may lead to a complete vision loss if it is ignored and not treated properly. In order to minimise its negative effects, we should eliminate its most common cause, i.e. vitamin A deficiency, by oral or intramuscular administration. Moreover, topical moisturizing medications should be applied onto the eyes.

In most cases, this eye condition may be prevented by following a proper diet. It is recommendable to enrich your everyday menu with foods containing a lot of vitamin A, such as eggs, fish, dairy products (cheese, cottage cheese, butter, yoghurt) or certain vegetables, e.g. tomatoes, carrots, red pepper, broccoli or spinach. However, if we still notice any symptoms of night blindness, we should not hesitate to consult a doctor, for an early diagnosis always guarantees the best results.

Make an appointment for a specialist ophthalmologic examination either via telephone or by selecting the CONTACT tab and filling in a contact form.

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