“I have a problem seeing in dim light. Could it be night blindness?”
I am having a lot of problem seeing in the night and in dim lights, especially when driving. Could it be night blindness? What should I do?
8 Answers
Most of the time, it means that you need to have your vision corrected with eyeglasses or contacts. When we don’t see 20/20 at nighttime is when we have more problems. Astigmatism causes distortion to light and it is more noticeable at night. There are conditions that affect night vision permanently and it is important to consult with your eye care provider to ensure it is not a condition that can deteriorate your vision permanently.
Possible or a macula pigment deficiency. Get a comprehensive dilated eye exam.
More likely than not it’s probably aberrations or distortions caused by differences in pupil size. In dim light, our pupils dilate creating more glare. Some people may actually have a completely different night time RX. Our technology allows us to check for this, and if so, we can fabricate a separate pair of night driving glasses.
Dr. Lior Koppel
Dr. Lior Koppel
Have your eyes checked by an optometrist or ophthalmologist to rule out anything serious.
Yes, it could be. Could also be you need glasses for night driving. Best thing to do is have an eye exam to evaluate not only the eye health but the vision as well.
Problems with dim light often come with birthdays. The need for more light is associated with early developing cataracts, as is glare when driving. The clouding of the lens of the eye (cataract) tends to both dim vision and cause light scatter and glare when bight light such as headlights are aimed at the eye. Sudden onset for needing more light should be evaluated by an Optometric Physician who will provide a solution or place you in the hands of the proper specialist, which may include an ophthalmologist, neurologist or endocrinologist.
Yes. It can also be uncorrected refractive error (needing glasses), dry eye, problems with the retina, cataracts...get it checked out by an eye doctor (this would be a medical visit covered under medical insurance)
Taking a Lutein/Zeaxanthin supplement daily has been shown to improve night vision, increase contrast, and reduce glare. (Check out the research studies linked to the Macuhealth website) Also, there is dark adaptation testing that can be done to determine if the problem is in your retina: check with the Maculogix company to see who has an AdaptDx machine near you.
Taking a Lutein/Zeaxanthin supplement daily has been shown to improve night vision, increase contrast, and reduce glare. (Check out the research studies linked to the Macuhealth website) Also, there is dark adaptation testing that can be done to determine if the problem is in your retina: check with the Maculogix company to see who has an AdaptDx machine near you.
Retinitis pigmentosa should be ruled out
