Shedding Light on Night Blindness: Common Causes and Treatments

If you're struggling to see when it's dark or find yourself worried about driving at night because you can't see the road very well, you might be suffering from poor night vision. Sometimes this is a temporary condition, while other times it's longer lasting. Anytime you notice a change in your vision, you should see an eye doctor right away.

What Is Poor Night Vision (Night Blindness)?

Poor night vision is known by many terms. Technically, it's called nyctalopia, but it's also called night blindness.¹ No matter how you refer to the condition, poor night vision involves symptoms that indicate an underlying problem with your eyes.

Common symptoms of night blindness include:

• Your eyes can't quickly adapt when you move from a brightly lit area to a poorly lit one.¹
• Struggling to see the road when driving at night²
• You see more of a glare around lights, such as car headlights.²
• Your vision feels blurry or cloudy when the light is low.³
• More sensitivity to light in general³
• Trouble distinguishing faces when the light is low³
• Inability to see stars in the sky³
• Trouble seeing distant objects when the light is low.³

In some cases, night blindness might even qualify as a disability.⁴ However, this depends on how it impacts your daily life and how severe it is. You would need to consult an attorney for more details.

Causes of Poor Night Vision

Poor night vision has a variety of causes, ranging from temporary conditions to chronic ones. Here are the most common causes:

• Cataracts: When the lenses in your eyes become cloudy, this can hurt your ability to see at night.² Increased glare is one of the first symptoms.
• Diabetes: Poor night vision is a frequent complication of diabetes.² You may notice blurred vision or an increase in floaters.
• Dry eyes: If your eyes aren't producing enough tears, you may develop trouble seeing at night.²
• Vitamin A deficiency: Vitamin A impacts your body's production of rhodopsin, which affects night vision.³
• Glaucoma: Glaucoma can damage the optic nerve, affecting your vision at night and during the day.³ You may notice problems with your peripheral vision first. Ironically, glaucoma medications may also hurt your night vision if they constrict your pupil.¹
• Retinitis pigmentosa: This is a retinal disease where dark pigment collects on your retina.³ It can cause damage to your rod cells, hurting your night vision but possibly also leading to blindness.
• Macular degeneration: This eye disease can distort your vision during the day or at night.³
• Nearsightedness: Myopia may make it difficult to see objects at a distance.³ Seeing them at night could be even tougher.
• LASIK and similar surgeries: Sometimes, having a refractive surgery like LASIK or PRK can lead to increased glare from lights, which you'll notice more at night.³
• Usher syndrome: This is an example of a congenital condition that might cause night blindness.³ This genetic disease can lead to people having worsening night vision as they get older, among other serious symptoms.⁵

Diagnosing Poor Night Vision

How does an eye doctor diagnose poor night vision? It may involve a series of tests to rule out different potential causes.

In some cases, a simple eye exam may be all it takes to get diagnosed.⁶ Your eyes will be dilated and your doctor will look at them through a slit lamp. This can help detect cataracts, for example.⁷ Other tests include:⁷

• Reading letters on a chart to test for nearsightedness
• Visual field testing with electroretinography (ERG) to look for retinitis pigmentosa
• A glaucoma test
• A blood test for glucose or vitamin A issues

Treating and Improving Poor Night Vision

Is night blindness curable? It ultimately depends on what's causing it.¹ In some cases, natural remedies might be sufficient (after getting a diagnosis from your eye doctor). In other cases, you'll need in-depth intervention or even surgery.

Examples of potential treatments include:

• A new eyeglass prescription for nearsightedness¹
• Special glasses because standard progressive lenses could make night driving worse.⁸ Your glasses might have an antireflective coating or you may be given high-definition glasses.⁹
• Changing your glaucoma medication¹
• Cataract removal surgery¹
• Artificial tears for dry eyes²
• Insulin and other diabetic treatments²
• Increasing your vitamin A intake if you have a deficiency.² You may be given a prescription for higher doses of vitamin A, or advised to change your diet.¹⁰
• Low vision aids for people with irreversible conditions like Usher syndrome⁵

The cost of these treatments will vary greatly depending on what you need. High-definition lenses can cost 30% more than regular glasses.⁹ An antireflective coating might add $20 to $90 to your glasses' price.¹¹ Cataract surgery is on the higher end, costing about $700 for standard surgery with insurance, and up to $6,000 per eye if you need laser-assisted surgery or implants.¹² You can also use the CareCredit credit card to pay for treatment at providers in the CareCredit network.*

Preventing Poor Night Vision

You can take steps to cut down on your risk of certain types of poor night vision. On top of that, early detection can also make a big difference. Consider taking these measures:

1. Change your diet

Eat foods rich in vitamin A, such as eggs, spinach, cantaloupe, milk, carrots and butternut squash.¹ Other foods that are good for your eyes include fish and nuts (for omega-3s), leafy greens (for carotenoids) and yellow, orange or red fruits (the antioxidants are beneficial for your retina).²

2. Wear sunglasses

Wearing sunglasses that block UVA and UVB rays can decrease your risk of developing certain eye issues, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataracts.¹

3. Exercise regularly

Exercise can help with glucose levels and sometimes even lower the pressure in your eyes.¹

4. Take screen breaks

Take frequent screen breaks to avoid eye strain.² A good rule of thumb is to look away from your monitor or phone every 20 minutes for about 20 seconds, focusing on an object that's about 20 feet away.

5. See your eye doctor regularly

Visiting your eye doctor regularly can ensure that issues like glaucoma are caught early.¹ You'll also be able to make sure that your glasses prescription stays updated every year as your eyes change.

Losing your night vision can be frightening, but the good news is that often, there's a treatment that can help. If you notice any problems with your vision, see an eye doctor. And keep up regular appointments so any future problems are caught before you can even notice them.

Financing Night Blindness With the CareCredit Credit Card

Regular eye exams are an important part of your eye health. Whether you're getting an eye exam or needing eye surgery, the CareCredit credit card can help you pay for care where your insurance leaves off.* Apply today and use our Acceptance Locator to find a vision specialist near you that accepts CareCredit. Continue your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App to manage your account, find a provider on the go, and easily access the Well U hub for more great articles, podcasts, and videos.

Author Bio

Stephanie Dwilson specializes in science journalism, breaking news, and animal health and is a business owner, non-practicing attorney and writer.