Causes And Treatments For Night Blindness
If you have been experiencing difficulty seeing at night, you are not alone. Many people suffer from troubled night vision, medically referred to as night blindness, and there are a number of reasons as to why. It could be because of aging, a vitamin deficiency, or a genetic disorder. This article will give you an overview on some of the more common causes of night blindness.
Vitamin A and Zinc Deficiency
Vitamin A is found in leafy vegetables and carrots and is an essential vitamin for eye health. Vitamin A deficiency is a cause of night blindness, although it's rare. It usually occurs in people who have issues absorbing nutrients. This is usually the result of conditions like celiac and Crohn's disease.
Zinc works in concert with Vitamin A and without it, any vitamin A that is present won't be as effective, resulting in night blindness. Zinc can be found in beans, nuts, poultry and beef.
Cataracts
Cataracts are an eye condition that forms a cloudy dense area in the lens of your eye and can have an effect on your night vision. They are slow to develop, but over time will interfere with your vision. It's possible you'll end up with cataracts in both of your eyes, but usually not at the same time. Cataracts are more common in older individuals.
Aging
As you age, your pupils shrink and don't dilate as much as they used to, which reduces the overall amount of light that goes into your eyes. As light does enter your eye, it scatters, causing the light to glare. Also, it's difficult for older individuals to differentiate between the different contrasts of light brightness, which in the end makes it more difficult to see at night.
Help With Night Vision
While there may be some conditions that are difficult for you to correct in order to see better at night, there are some things you can do to help mild night blindness. Eating fruits and vegetables like carrots; dark green, leafy vegetables like collards and spinach; or yellow vegetables and sweet potatoes can all help with keeping your Vitamin A levels up.
It's possible your problem may be corrected with medical care, so talk to a local and reputable eye health company like Focus West Optometry about prescription glasses for night driving or corrective surgery if the reason for your night blindness is caused by cataracts.
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