If you have trouble seeing while driving at night, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans have the same problem. Could be that you just need glasses, particularly if you are nearsighted, or it could also signal you have cataracts or other problems. If your vision concerns are keeping you from getting behind the wheel at night, it’s time to see your eye doctor.
Causes
From diabetes to sun exposure, there are many things that can cause your night vision problems, such as:
- Cataracts: Your eye’s lens sits right behind the pupil. As you get older, those cells grow and die off, leading to a buildup of debris and eventually the development of cataracts. While cataracts don’t cause pain, they do worsen over time if untreated and they can slowly cause cloudiness in your vision. One of the first symptoms you will notice is worsening night vision. That’s because cataracts distort the light that enters your eyes, causing you to see halos around any lights, which is more pronounced at night.
- Lack of vitamin A: This essential vitamin is found in carrots and leafy vegetables, working to keep the retina as healthy as possible. Most people get enough vitamin A from the foods they eat, but if you suffer from a health issue that makes it difficult to absorb nutrients, such as celiac disease or Crohn’s disease, you could experience night vision problems.
- Lack of zinc: Without zinc, vitamin A doesn’t really work as well as it should, resulting in night blindness. Eat enough beef, poultry, beans, and nuts for more zinc.
- Retinitis pigmentosa: A rare genetic disorder affecting young people before age 30, this is characterized by a decline in night vision.
- Sunlight exposure: Prolonged exposure to sunlight can lead to cataract development, a major contributor for poor night vision.
- LASIK surgery complications: Complications after this type of eye surgery are not common; however, some people do experience night vision problems after having it done. Some people say they see glare and halos around objects that can distort their vision.
- Diabetes: With diabetes, you are more prone to having night vision problems. As you age, high blood sugar can damage the blood vessels and nerves in the eyes, leading to a condition known as retinopathy.
Diagnosis
All it takes to diagnose night vision problems is to get a simple exam from your eye doctor. Tell your doctor the symptoms you’re experiencing. Your doctor will use drops to open your eyes up wide (a process called dilation), after which he or she will use a special microscope with a bright light to examine the eye further.
Treatment for your night vision problem will depend on the cause. This could involve anything from eye glasses to cataract surgery to medication.
Contact Simon Eye Associates
If you have problems seeing at night, get in touch with Simon Eye today for your appointment at 302-239-1933.