It’s common for people to notice their vision isn’t as sharp at night. Knowing the signs and causes of poor night vision can help you take simple steps to protect your eyes and see better in low-light conditions.
Why Is Night Vision Poorer?
Night vision naturally differs from daytime vision. Even people with healthy eyes may notice difficulty seeing in low-light conditions. Reduced night vision can make driving, walking in dimly lit areas, or adjusting to dark environments more challenging. Understanding the signs, underlying causes, and ways to improve night vision can help you protect your eyes and maintain safety.
Signs That Night Vision Is Declining
If you notice that your eyes struggle to see in dim light, have trouble driving at night, or are bothered by glare and halos around lights, these may be early signs of declining night vision. You might also find it takes longer to adjust when moving from bright to dark areas, which can affect both comfort and confidence in low-light settings.
Causes of Poor Night Vision
Night vision can be affected by several factors, including age-related changes, eye health, and lifestyle habits. Pupils may not dilate fully with age, reducing light intake. Uncorrected refractive errors, cataracts, vitamin deficiencies, certain eye diseases, medications, and environmental factors can all contribute to poor night vision.
Main causes include:
Reduced pupil response: As we age or due to certain medical conditions, pupils may not open widely enough in low light, limiting the amount of light reaching the retina.
Uncorrected refractive errors: Nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism that isn’t fully corrected can make night vision blurry and reduce contrast.
Cataracts or lens changes: Clouding or yellowing of the lens scatters incoming light, causing glare, halos, and blurred vision in dim conditions.
Vitamin deficiencies: Lack of Vitamin A or other essential nutrients can impair the retina’s ability to detect light properly.
Eye diseases: Conditions like glaucoma or retinitis pigmentosa damage retinal cells or optic nerves, affecting low-light vision.
Medications: Some prescription or over-the-counter drugs can alter pupil response or reduce visual clarity at night.
Environmental & lifestyle factors: Fatigue, prolonged screen exposure, glare from headlights or streetlights, and alcohol consumption can temporarily worsen night vision.
Tips for Better Night Vision
Although some causes are natural or medical, the following tips can help improve night vision.:
Corrective eyewear: Make sure your prescription is accurate and consider lenses with anti-reflective coatings to reduce glare and improve contrast.
Healthy lifestyle: Maintain adequate sleep, eat a diet rich in Vitamin A and Omega-3 fatty acids, and limit alcohol intake to support retinal health.
Eye protection: Wear sunglasses during the day to reduce sensitivity to light and help your eyes adapt better in dim conditions.
Reduce eye strain: Take regular breaks from screens, avoid prolonged exposure to bright lights, and rest your eyes to prevent fatigue-related vision issues.
Regular eye exams: Routine check-ups allow early detection and treatment of cataracts, glaucoma, or other conditions that can impair night vision.
Night vision issues are common but often manageable. By understanding the signs, addressing causes, and taking practical steps to improve vision, you can maintain safer and clearer eyesight in low-light conditions. Of course, you can also reasonably improve your night vision by wearing the right glasses. Want to pick out a pair? Check out Eydology. Note: If you continue to encounter issues, please consult a professional promptly.
