Night blindness, scientifically known as nictalopia, is the difficulty to see in low light environments, as it happens during the night, when it is darkest. However, people with this disorder can have completely normal vision during the day.
However, night blindness is not a disease, but a symptom or complication of another problem, such as xerophthalmia, cataracts, glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy. Thus, it is always important to consult an ophthalmologist to assess the presence of another eye disease and initiate appropriate treatment.
Thus, night blindness is curable, depending on its cause, especially when treatment is started quickly and for the right cause.
Symptoms and main causes
The main symptom of night blindness is the difficulty to see in dark environments, especially when going from a bright environment to a darker one, such as when entering the house or during sunset, for example. Thus, people with untreated night blindness should avoid driving at the end of the day or during the night, to ensure their safety.
This difficulty in seeing happens when the levels of a pigment in the retinal receptors, known as rhodopsin, are lowered, affecting the eye's ability to process objects in low light.
These receptors are usually affected by the lack of vitamin A, which causes xerophthalmia, but they can also be altered in cases of other eye diseases such as glaucoma, retinopathy, myopia or retinitis pigmentosa, for example.
Learn more about how to identify and treat xerophthalmia.
How the treatment is done
Treatment for night blindness depends on the cause causing changes in the retinal receptors. Therefore, some of the most used techniques include:
- Glasses and contact lenses: are used especially in cases of myopia to improve vision; Eye drops: allow to control the pressure in the eye in cases of glaucoma, improving symptoms; Vitamin A supplements: are recommended in cases of xerophthalmia due to vitamin A deficiency; Surgery: widely used to treat cataracts in the elderly and improve vision.
In addition, if any other retinal disease is identified, the doctor may order more tests such as optical tomography or ultrasound to confirm adapting the treatment, which may take longer.
