"The groundwork of all happiness is health." - Leigh Hunt

Trouble seeing at night? Try these coping suggestions.

Posted by admin April 26, 2024

Small changes at home and on the road could make a difference.

Cats, owls, raccoons and deer – they're among the many animals with exceptional night vision. We humans usually are not included on this list. Our eyes contain only a part of the visual machinery needed to see well at midnight, and our limited ability deteriorates with age (see “How our night vision changes”). The resulting poor night vision sets us up for difficulty driving at night or stumbling in a dark room, which may result in accidents and injuries.

How are you able to stay protected? There isn't any medical treatment to revive night vision, but the next methods may help.

Treat underlying conditions. Dry eyes and cataracts (clouding of the lens contained in the eye) make it difficult to see at night. Their treatment should improve night vision.

Have a flashlight handy. Get a flashlight app in your smartphone or carry a pocket-sized flashlight when you need assistance seeing where you're walking.

Turn on the lights. “Consider adding more lamps to brighten up your home, and install night lights throughout the house. For reading, I recommend gooseneck lamps, which can be easily adjusted,” says Dr. Atalia. Also: Keep window shades or blinds open through the day.

Keep your glasses on. Wash lenses commonly, and take them to an optician to remove minor scratches or add anti-reflective coatings that reduce headlight glare.

Keep your windshield and headlights clean. Even slightly dirt or dust could make it difficult to see the road at night. Wash your automobile, and keep the windshield washer fluid level high.

Adapt your night driving. Dim the lights in your dashboard, which creates glare. When oncoming traffic headlights are distracting you, search for right lane markings. Use the night setting in your rearview mirror. “And use familiar roads and well-lit streets, which will be easiest to navigate at night,” suggests Dr. Italia.

What if this strategy doesn't work? “It may be that you just need to limit driving to daytime hours,” says Dr. Italia. “It hurts, but it's better to be safe.”

How does our night vision change?

We need a minimum of some light (like moonlight) to see at midnight. We also need the power to make use of this light: the attention collects and focuses the sunshine and sends signals to the brain, which converts the sunshine into images. Age-related changes can affect this process. Here are some examples:

  • We lose light-sensitive eye cells (photoreceptors). Very sensitive photoreceptors called rods are essential for night vision. The variety of rods in our eyes decreases with age.
  • Our pupils are getting smaller. Pupils – small holes that seem like black dots – allow light to enter the attention. The size of the pupil (and the quantity of sunshine that enters) is controlled by the muscles of the iris (the coloured a part of the attention). “These muscles weaken with age, causing smaller pupils and less light in the eye,” explains Dr. Haley Italia, an ophthalmologist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts Eye & Ear. It takes more light to see.”
  • Our eyes react more slowly to changes in light. At any age, photoreceptors need time to regulate once we see vibrant headlights or once we move from a vibrant room to a dark room. In older people, this process takes longer.
  • The lenses of our eyes turn into cloudy. “The lens inside each eye undergoes microscopic changes over time that eventually result in a clouded lens referred to as a cataract. Even the initial changes, before a cataract, are brought on by light entering the attention. cause scattering, which reduces the standard of vision or creates glare around headlights or street lights,” notes Dr. Italia.
  • Our eyes turn into dry. As we become old, we produce fewer tears, which may irritate the outer surface of the attention (the cornea) and scatter incoming light. “Dry eyes are especially noticeable at the end of the day and can cause glare or blurred vision at night,” says Dr. Italia.
  • Our vision becomes impaired. The quality of vision decreases with age, making it difficult to see at night. Even when you're lucky and have 20/20 vision at age 70, it probably won't be as sharp because it was 50 years ago. The remainder of your photoreceptors are less dense and usually are not in a position to perceive fantastic detail. ” noted Dr. Italy.

Photo: © Ru_Foto/Getty Images