What Is Night Blindness?
What Is Night Blindness?
Night blindness (also called nyctalopia) is the inability to see well at night or in poor light. It is not a disease, but rather a symptom of an underlying disorder or problem, especially untreated nearsightedness.
Night blindness is due to a disorder of the cells in the retina that are responsible for vision in dim light. It has many causes, including:
In order to determine what is causing night blindness, the eye doctor will perform a thorough eye exam and may order any of a number of specialized tests.
Treatment for night blindness will depend on its cause. Treatment may be as simple as a new prescription for your eyeglasses or switching glaucoma drugs, or it may require surgery if it's the result of cataracts.
What Causes Night Blindness?
Night blindness is due to a disorder of the cells in the retina that are responsible for vision in dim light. It has many causes, including:
- Nearsightedness
- Glaucoma
- Glaucomamedications that work by constricting the pupil
- Cataracts
- Diabetes
- Retinitis pigmentosa
- Vitamin A deficiency
- Keratoconus
In order to determine what is causing night blindness, the eye doctor will perform a thorough eye exam and may order any of a number of specialized tests.
How Is Night Blindness Treated?
Treatment for night blindness will depend on its cause. Treatment may be as simple as a new prescription for your eyeglasses or switching glaucoma drugs, or it may require surgery if it's the result of cataracts.
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