Dry Eye Treatment

Why Can’t I See in Low Light?

If you’ve found yourself struggling more often as the lights start to dim, you may have some version of night blindness. This happens when you have trouble adjusting to changes in brightness or trouble seeing in low light. Below, we’ll look at why this might happen and how an eye doctor in New Albany, MS you can improve your sight.

Night Blindness

We tend to think of night blindness as something that happens as you age, but the truth is that night blindness can happen at any age. This term is a symptom rather than an official diagnosis, so even if you know you have night blindness, that’s not the official explanation of what’s happening to your eyes.

How We See at Night

Whether or not you can see in very dim light depends on how the rods in your retina perform in low light, how quickly your irises adjust to changes in light, and how clear your external lens is. If your irises remain small even as the lights begin to dim, you won’t be able to see. If the eye’s clear lens has started to yellow, you’ll also have a tough time making out objects in low light.

What’s Causing the Problem?

Usually, night vision is caused by common disorders like cataracts and glaucoma, though once in a while it’s for more rare genetic diseases. You may also experience night blindness if you’re recovering from LASIK surgery or not getting enough Vitamin A in your diet. (Some people have a difficult time absorbing this vital nutrient, especially if you’ve undergone any kind of weight-loss surgery.)

How Will an Eye Doctor Treat in New Albany, MS

The treatments for night blindness depend on your condition and overall health. For some, an eye doctor can treat night blindness with cataract surgery in New Albany, MS. For more complex disorders, like glaucoma, you may have a more extensive treatment plan.

No matter what’s causing your night blindness, ignoring it will unlikely make it disappear. If you’re ready to take action, contact Weeden Eye Clinic today to learn more about what’s happening to your eye and what can be done to fix it.