If you often see a halo of light around streetlamps or car headlights while out at night, you are not alone. Night vision issues, like seeing halos, are one of the most common vision complaints eye care providers hear about from their patients.
Keep reading to learn what it might mean if you struggle to see at night vision and what you can do about it!
What are Night Vision Issues?
Night vision issues, also known as night blindness, are symptoms of an underlying eye condition that makes it hard to see in dark or low-light environments. It can also make it hard for the eyes to adjust to sudden changes between darkness and bright light.
Night vision issues can stem from two primary sources: problems with how light reaches the retina, or issues with how retinal cells respond to light. In addition to difficulty seeing in low light and the dark, impaired night vision can also cause people to see glare or halos around lights or to develop a sensitivity to sources of bright light.
Driving at night is one of the biggest dangers associated with night vision issues. Vision impaired by night blindness can cause drivers to miss road signs and lead to serious traffic accidents.
How Does Night Vision Work?
Good night vision mainly involves two structures within the eyes: the retina and the irises. The retina is located in the back of the eye and contains two types of light-detecting cells: cones and rods.
While cones handle color and fine detail vision, rods handle vision in dim light. Rods make up about ninety-five percent of the light-detecting cells in the retina and help the irises adjust to changes in light.
The irises contain muscles that control the width of the pupil. If the irises aren’t working correctly, they can prevent enough light from getting to your retinas, preventing you from seeing in low-light situations.
What Causes Night Vision Issues?
Here are some of the most common causes of night vision issues:
Aging
The aging process can bring changes to your eyes that can reduce their ability to see in low light. These include slower pupil response, lens clouding, changes to the retina, and a decrease in tear production.
Cataracts
Night vision issues are a common symptom of cataracts. As cataracts collect and cloud the eye’s natural lens, less light can reach the retina, impairing vision.
Glaucoma
Night vision issues can also be a symptom of glaucoma. Glaucoma causes increased eye pressure that damages the optic nerve, leading to difficulty seeing in low-light conditions.
Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is another eye condition that can impair night vision. Damage to the macula can cause poor night vision, an early symptom of the condition.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy can cause significant damage to the structures of the eye, including the retina. That damage makes it hard to process visual information in low-light settings.
Retinitis Pigmentosa
This genetic disorder affects the retina and can lead to gradual vision loss. As the disorder progresses, it impairs the ability of the retina to respond to light, especially at night.
Certain Medications
Night vision issues can be a side-effect of certain medications, including those used to treat high blood pressure and some psychiatric medications.
Vitamin A Deficiency
Vitamin A is essential for producing rhodopsin, a pigment in the retina that helps with low-light vision.
How Are Night Vision Issues Treated?
Treatments for night vision issues usually involve trying to treat the underlying causes. These treatments include:
Corrective Lenses
Prescription glasses or contact lenses that correct vision can improve night vision for people with refractive errors like myopia.
Cataract Surgery
During cataract surgery, the clouded lens of the eye is removed and replaced with a clear artificial lens, allowing light to freely reach the retina.
Management of Underlying Conditions
For people with diabetes, carefully controlling blood sugar levels can prevent further vision impairment from diabetic retinopathy. Poor night vision caused by glaucoma can be helped with medications or surgical treatments to reduce pressure within the eye.
Vitamin A Supplements
Studies have shown that increasing vitamin A intake through diet or supplements can help improve night vision.
Medications
With conditions like retinitis pigmentosa, for which there is no cure, medications may be prescribed to slow progression and preserve the quality of a person’s vision.
Night Vision Aids
An eye care provider may recommend special lenses or other optical devices to enhance low-light vision.
Lifestyle Adjustments
Depending on the severity of a person’s night vision issues, they might be advised to avoid driving at night and increase ambient light in areas they may use in the dark, like outside steps and pathways.
Can You Prevent Night Vision Issues?
While you can’t prevent the causes of every condition that can lead to night vision issues, there are some steps you can take to promote the overall health of your eyes. These steps include:
- Consuming a healthy diet rich in vitamins and antioxidants that boost eye health, including dark leafy greens, carrots, and fish.
- Protecting your eyes from harmful UV light by wearing sunglasses or a broad-brimmed hat when outdoors.
- Keeping your eyes moist with lubricating eye drops and limiting activities that can lead to dry eyes, like excessive screen time.
- Scheduling routine comprehensive eye exams to monitor eye health and catch any vision issues early.
Night vision issues affect millions of Americans. While these issues can’t always be corrected entirely, treating their underlying causes and prioritizing the health of your eyes can help you avoid seeing halos everywhere.
Are you having trouble seeing at night? Schedule an appointment at Nevada Eye Physicians in Las Vegas, NV, today!
