Most often, the development of night blindness is a consequence of disturbances in the functioning of the retina and optic nerve. It significantly affects the patient’s quality of life and can pose a serious threat to his life and health.
The essence of the disease
Many people wonder what it is - night blindness? In short, this is a decrease in visual acuity in poor lighting conditions. That is, during the day a person has an excellent ability to distinguish objects and there are no complaints, but at dusk or in a room with insufficient light, symptoms make themselves felt, blurring the outlines of objects, muting colors.
The disease night blindness does not have any stages of development; it is equally common among both men and women. In women during menopause, pathology is diagnosed somewhat more often, which is caused by disruptions in the hormonal regulation of the body.
Species
The disease night blindness has several subtypes, depending on what prompted its development. All types are united by a single symptom that comes to the fore - loss of vision in low light conditions.
Congenital
A congenital disease in humans is characterized by classic symptoms. Moreover, it is inherited, and complaints of decreased vision at dusk are present in several generations in the same family.
Congenital pathology can also be a symptom of certain diseases, such as hereditary retinitis pigmentosa or Usher syndrome.
Essential
Many people are accustomed to thinking that night blindness is caused by a lack of vitamins. What exactly useful substance is the body lacking if corresponding complaints appear? Most often we are talking about a deficiency of vitamin A. Additionally, the appearance of corresponding symptoms can be explained by a lack of zinc, vitamins PP and B2.
If the main reason is a shortage useful substances, we are talking about the essential nature of pathology.
Symptomatic
We speak of a symptomatic type of night blindness if its symptoms appear against the background of any pre-existing eye diseases.
These could be:
- taperetinal dystrophy;
- advanced myopia;
- siderose;
- chorioretinitis;
- atrophic changes in the structure of the optic nerve;
False
False night blindness is not inherently a disease. It develops when a person overexerts his vision, being in poor lighting conditions, working for a long time with a computer monitor or other similar devices, performing small painstaking work that requires significant visual strain.
False type pathology is completely treatable. All a person needs to do is give the eyes the opportunity to take a proper rest from stress, and vision will be completely restored. If you neglect the recommendations regarding the regimen, visual impairment can become persistent and irreversible.
Reasons
The causes of hemeralopia are varied.
These include:
- lack of vitamins;
- many eye diseases, both congenital and acquired during life;
- hereditary factors;
- overexertion and stress;
- weakening of the body due to exposure to infectious agents;
- prolonged hunger;
- psychosomatic defect;
- anemia;
- liver and kidney pathologies;
- intoxication with various substances;
- long-term use of medications that affect the absorption of vitamin A, etc.
Many doctors believe that psychosomatics may play a role in the formation of night blindness. A similar defect is typical for people prone to hysterics and exaggerations of various kinds. It is also popularly called hysterical blindness.
Symptoms
The symptoms of night blindness are exactly the same in people, regardless of the cause of the pathology.
A person consults a doctor with complaints that evening time he began to see much worse than he had seen before. When checking your vision, you will find that the retina has become less responsive to light exposure.
Additional symptoms:
- decreased color perception, especially poorly patients begin to distinguish simple blue and its combinations;
- narrowing of visual fields - the patient sees this as the formation of incomprehensible spots on the sides of normal viewing angles; some patients are able to remember horse blinders and draw appropriate analogies.
How dangerous is the disease?
Regardless of the causes of night blindness, the disease is considered dangerous.
Firstly, it may hide other pathologies, such as glaucoma or myopia. Without timely medical attention, they can lead to complete loss of vision.
Secondly, drivers with night blindness can create dangerous situations on the roads. They stop distinguishing well road signs and signs that could cause an accident.
Thirdly, night blindness often causes internal discomfort, significantly reducing the patient’s quality of life. In adult patients, there is a fear of sooner or later going completely blind. Children develop a persistent fear of the dark, which over time can transform into mental disorder, if night blindness is not treated promptly.
Which doctor treats night blindness?
The disease is treated by an ophthalmologist. Depending on concomitant diseases, it is possible to involve specialists of other profiles.
Diagnostics
The diagnosis is made based on the patient's complaints and a number of additional diagnostic tests.
- examination of the fundus to determine whether there is a connection between night blindness and another eye disease;
- determining the presence of plaques on the surface of the conjunctiva of the eye;
- identifying narrowing of visual fields using perimetry;
- adaptometry, in which a person, after viewing a brightly lit background, must see an object placed on it in a second;
- refractometry, which allows you to determine the refraction of light.
Treatment
Treatment methods for night blindness depend on the type of pathology. The congenital form is very poorly susceptible to therapeutic effects, but to improve the patient’s condition it is possible to use the same methods that are used if night blindness is a consequence of a lack of vitamins.
In case of essential type pathology, the patient is recommended to take additional vitamin complexes, which include vitamins A, PP and B2.
It is worth following a diet that will include:
- egg yolks;
- carrot;
- berries;
- millet;
- cod liver, beef.
Due to these products, the depot of vitamins will be replenished and their deficiency will be compensated. Additionally, doctors advise following correct mode day. The presence of vitamin E in the body can improve the absorption of vitamin A, and therefore it is additionally recommended to consume nuts, potatoes, seeds, and broccoli. You can also use Riboflavin eye drops, applied twice a day.
If night blindness is of symptomatic origin, then it is necessary to treat the underlying pathology. The choice of therapeutic methods will depend on the nature of the underlying disease, and therefore in each case it is selected individually.
False night blindness does not require special treatment. The only thing a patient needs is good rest.
Prevention
Prevention of hemeralopia is not difficult. A person is advised to eat right and visit an ophthalmologist for preventive purposes in order to promptly diagnose and treat eye pathologies. If your work involves a computer, then it is important to maintain a simple work and rest schedule so that your eyes can rest from the light of the monitor. In bright sunshine or in areas with heavy snow cover, the use of dark glasses is recommended.
Night blindness, if it is not congenital, is most often treatable. All that is necessary is to follow the doctor’s recommendations and, if the pathology is symptomatic, engage in treatment for the underlying disease.
If night blindness has developed and there is every reason to suspect that it is not false, it is recommended to consult an ophthalmologist. Timely identification of the causes and elimination of their influence will help to cope with the disease so that the person’s quality of life does not suffer.
Useful video about night blindness
In essence, night blindness is a disease that occurs due to vitamin A deficiency.
In medicine, this disease is known as Hemeralopia (synonym - nyctalopia). The essence comes down to decreased vision at dusk (as opposed to day blindness, when vision decreases in daylight conditions).
The disease received the name “night blindness” because of the similarity of the clinical picture with chicken vision: these birds can distinguish a variety of colors quite well, but practically cannot see the dark.
Three forms of night blindness
- Congenital hemeralopia. There is a pronounced hereditary nature of the disease. It manifests itself early - in childhood or adolescence. There is a significant decrease in twilight vision and a persistent decrease in adaptation to darkness. The reason is that in such patients the so-called rod photoreceptors of the retina are sharply reduced, and in rare cases may be completely absent; as a result, a person sees significantly worse at dusk and in the dark.
- Essential hemeralopia. Its cause is a decrease or insufficient intake of vitamin A into the body (aka retinol), or disruption of its absorption. Normally, it is part of the photosensitive substance of the retina (photosensitive pigment rhodopsin), which, among other things, determines the adaptation of vision to darkness; Therefore, retinol is considered the vitamin “responsible” for vision. The reason may be a violation general nutrition during fasting, “metabolic” diseases, liver diseases, alcoholism, neurasthenia. In such cases, there will be a deterioration in spatial orientation, as well as an improvement in the perception of certain colors, especially blue and yellow. In most cases, essential hemeralopia is temporary and can be corrected.
- Essential hemeralopia is characterized by a narrowing of the visual fields, especially to yellow and blue colors. The prognosis of essential hemeralopia is in most cases favorable if the patient complies with all treatment and prevention measures. Upon examination, no changes in the fundus are detected. On the cornea, xerotic plaques, areas of necrosis or keratomalacia may appear.
- Symptomatic hemeralopia. In this case, hemeralopia is a manifestation of some other disease:
- develops in some cases with retinal dystrophy;
- at inflammatory diseases retina and choroid;
- with optic nerve atrophy;
- increased intraocular pressure, glaucoma;
- complicated myopia;
- siderosis.
In these cases, along with signs of night blindness, the clinical picture contains symptoms corresponding to the underlying disease. The prognosis for this form of the disease will correspond to the prognosis for the underlying disease that caused retinol deficiency. Changes characteristic of the underlying disease are found in the fundus.
With a sufficient level of retinol, a person sees quite well and does not notice any deviations. In the case of hypovitaminosis, And its The following symptoms begin to bother you:
If a person notices one or more symptoms that are considered signs of hemeralopia, or vitamin A deficiency, you should consult an ophthalmologist, who, based on the results of the examination, will be able to select the appropriate treatment that can prevent the progression of the disease and improve the patient’s condition.
It is noteworthy that in the daytime, with comfortable lighting, visual symptoms may be absent; The patient feels worsening vision only at dusk.
It is important to understand that if a patient notices a decrease in vision, including twilight vision, in only one eye, then this is not night blindness, but some other disease. Such a patient should immediately contact an ophthalmologist for examination and to determine the reasons for the deterioration of the condition.
Treatment
Congenital hemeralopia Unfortunately, it cannot be treated.
At symptomatic hemeralopia the specifics of treatment will depend on the causes of the disease; that is, the disease that caused hypovitaminosis A should be treated.
Essential night blindness amenable to treatment. The main goal of treatment for this type of night blindness is to compensate for the deficiency of vitamin A (both with food and in the form medicines), to avoid progression of the disease and further deterioration or loss of vision.
If the vitamin A deficiency is low, the patient will be advised to follow a diet rich in food products, which are a source of vitamin A; this may well be enough. The following foods should be included in such a diet:
With a more pronounced deficiency of retinol and a more serious degree of night blindness, in addition to the “correct” diet, the patient will be prescribed vitamin A course in combination with vitamins B2 and PP, as they promote the best absorption of retinol.
Prevention of night blindness
- the disease can be prevented with a balanced diet that includes foods containing sufficient quantity vitamin A;
- eye protection from bright light sunlight, for example, using sunglasses;
- optimal lighting of the workplace;
- careful attitude towards eye health and the health of the body as a whole.
Most people see well in the twilight, and all thanks to the work of rods in the retina. And when changes occur that disrupt the functionality of the retina, causing twilight vision to suffer.
The principle of twilight vision
The retina of the eye contains cones and rods, which are responsible for visual acuity in different lighting conditions. Cones help a person see during the day and in bright light; they are responsible for the perception of colors and details. Rods are active mostly in poor lighting; they help us use black-and-white twilight vision.
The rods contain the visual pigment rhodopsin, which is responsible for excitation of the optic nerve. Rhodopsin breaks down in light and is restored in darkness, so a person needs time to adapt when moving from light to darkness.
Twilight vision would not be possible without vitamin A (a component of rhodopsin), since it is involved in the adaptation of the eyes to darkness. Therefore, with a lack of this element, twilight vision disorders develop.
Dark adaptation - the process of transition visual system in twilight and night vision mode. In this mode, a person sees in a black and white spectrum, and all objects appear gray to us.
What is hemeralopia
Visual impairment in twilight conditions is known to medicine as hemeralopia. It is noteworthy that this disease has no degrees: either there is a deviation or there is not. Despite this, impaired vision at dusk greatly interferes with a person’s life, leading to dangerous consequences.
Hemeralopia is popularly called night blindness. This is a visual disorder that is caused by pathology of the retina and optic nerve. Violations lead to a significant decrease in visual acuity in twilight and dark conditions.
Symptoms of hemeralopia:
- weakening of visual function;
- disturbance of spatial orientation in the dark;
- defect of light adaptation;
- narrowing of visual fields.
Sometimes the symptoms of night blindness are complemented by an incorrect perception of shades of yellow and blue. Medicine knows the so-called false hemeralopia, when visual acuity at dusk decreases temporarily. This occurs due to eye strain when working at a computer or with small print. However, not all doctors agree with this definition of the condition, because hemeralopia cannot be relative.
Representatives of both sexes equally suffer from hemeralopia, but it has been observed that during menopause women are more likely to have problems with twilight vision. This is due to various endocrine changes that occur with age in the body of women.
Causes of twilight vision disorders
Numerous studies prove that hypovitaminosis plays an important role in the development of hemeralopia. Pathology occurs due to an acute lack of vitamins A, B2 and PP.
A lack of vitamin A causes drying, thickening and redness of the conjunctiva, reduces the secretion of glands, provokes various disorders of the sensitivity of the cornea and its clouding.
It is also noteworthy that vitamin A is involved in the process of photoreception (light absorption by photoreceptors). A lack of vitamin A causes massive destruction of rods in the retina, which becomes the first sign of impaired twilight vision.
The destruction of rods can be detected during dark adaptometry, electroretinography and scotometry.
Other causes of hemeralopia may include:
- exhaustion;
- pregnancy;
- anemia;
- malnutrition;
- glaucoma;
- myopia;
- cataract;
- exposure to toxins;
- retinal diseases;
- liver dysfunction;
- alcoholism;
- optic nerve pathologies;
- burns of the eyeballs.
Sometimes impaired twilight vision is associated with heredity. Congenital hemeralopia almost always manifests itself in childhood. Hemeralopia is often a consequence of measles or chickenpox in children.
Diagnosis and treatment of hemeralopia
Medicine distinguishes between congenital and acquired hemeralopia. Even modern methods Treatments do not cure the congenital form.
Methods for diagnosing hemeralopia:
- ophthalmoscopy (examination of the fundus, examination of the retina, optic nerve, blood vessels);
- biomicroscopy (examination of the eye using a slit lamp);
- (measurement of intraocular pressure);
- (determining visual acuity using the table);
- color vision research (the study of color perception based on color schemes).
It must be remembered that the treatment of hemeralopia is determined differently in each case, so you should not take any drugs uncontrollably. First, you need to find the cause of the disease, and the results of the examination will show what the body really lacks. Consultations from other specialists will not be superfluous.
If there is a cause for the defect, appropriate therapy is prescribed. Often these are vitamin complexes and treatment of pathologies of the visual system that provoke twilight vision disorders.
Pathologies of the visual system
When the cause of hemeralopia is myopia, therapy will consist of laser vision correction. Refractive surgeries (lens replacement, etc.) can also be used.
In case of retinal detachment, urgent laser coagulation is necessary. Glaucoma requires antiglaucomatous surgery, and cataracts require extraction or phacoemulsification.
Hypovitaminosis
To determine the concentration of retinol, carotene and vitamin A in the blood, an appropriate test is prescribed. When the levels of these components decrease, corrective therapy is required.
If the cause of hemeralopia is a vitamin deficiency, therapy will include the following measures:
- normalization of diet;
- balancing the diet;
- taking vitamins and nutritional supplements.
Often, for essential hemeralopia, medications with beta-carotene are prescribed. This is provitamin A, but it does not cause side hypervitaminosis. The course of treatment also includes vitamins A, C, E, lutein and trace elements (zinc, selenium, copper). These components are the basis of therapy for twilight vision disorders caused by a lack of vitamins.
Hemeralopia without a reason
If the examination does not reveal obvious pathologies, hemeralopia can still be reduced. Must be created comfortable conditions for the visual system: use sunglasses and optical systems For drivers, use polarized visors to prevent glare while driving.
With yellow and orange lenses, they remove glare and glare, increase the contrast of colors and the depth of their perception. They are highly recommended for drivers with hemeralopia.
When working at a computer, you need to optimize and properly illuminate workplace. Do not allow light reflected from the monitor to enter your eyes. If you have hemeralopia, you should not use fluorescent lamps.
Prevention
It is impossible to cure hemeralopia on your own, but prevention must be carried out. Eye health largely depends on nutrition, so first of all you need to balance your diet.
To prevent disorders, it is necessary to include in the diet foods that are rich in vitamin A: carrots, tomatoes, blackberries, spinach, black currants, blueberries, apricots, dairy, seafood, egg yolk, millet.
In addition, you need to eat foods with vitamin B2. Considering that vitamin A is fat-soluble, it is better to combine it with fats.
If you have problems with twilight vision, you should not work at a computer or look at a bright TV, tablet, or phone screen in the dark. There should be additional light that softens the contrast between darkness and brightness. This rule also applies healthy people.
You should rest your eyes every 40 minutes when working with small parts. It is unacceptable to read from electronic devices in the dark, as well as in bright lamplight. To prevent your eyes from being overloaded, the light should fall evenly.
When in the mountains, you should wear glasses with ultraviolet filter. This will prevent you from being blinded by reflected rays.
Hemeralopia and driving
Many people over the age of 50 suffer from hemeralopia. Every year the number of accidents and other incidents, the cause of which is impaired twilight vision, increases. Therefore, you should drive vehicles carefully.
With night blindness, a person is inattentive while driving, and when blinded by headlights, he instantly loses orientation. This occurs due to the fact that after going blind, a person with hemeralopia cannot adapt to the dark immediately. Therefore, when obtaining a license, it is worth checking for night blindness.
How to improve twilight vision
Sunglasses
There are ways to improve dark adaptation. The first one goes back to the days of pirates. Not surprisingly, they are often depicted with an eye patch, but rarely did it cover up the missing eyeball. Pirates wore blindfolds to have one working eye when going down from the deck into the hold, where it was dangerous to use candles and lanterns.
Today, to improve dark adaptation, there is no need to wear bandages. It is enough to use sunglasses, the desired shade of gray. It has been proven that after being in the sun for 2-3 hours, it then takes 10 minutes more to fully adapt to the dark.
Don't look at the light
When in the dark, you don’t need to look at light sources. Such actions disrupt twilight vision, since rhodopsin will begin to rapidly decompose in the light. If it is not possible to avoid bright light, you need to cover one eye, maintaining dark adaptation at least in it. This way a person will not be completely disoriented if, for example, he is driving.
Red glasses
Another method is based on the fact that the rods are insensitive to red light. Previously, the army practiced this method of adaptation: soldiers wore red glasses before night guard, and the red did not interfere with the restoration of rhodopsin. Cones with red pigment did not interfere with orientation in the light, and thanks to the preservation of rhodopsin, the soldier could serve from the first minute of duty.
Today, red-tinted glasses can be purchased at any optical store. By putting them on 20-30 minutes before going out into the dark, a person ensures good adaptation. This method is used by pilots if they do not have the opportunity to be in the dark before flying into the night.
Eye exercise
Another feature of vision is actively used in special forces. Once in the dark, the soldiers close their eyes and press their eyelids on their eyes for 10 seconds. The method is effective, although medicine has not yet found an explanation for this.
Before going out into the dark, you need to close your eyes and massage your eyeballs, pressing with your palms. After a few seconds, the field of vision will brighten. This is a signal that vision has been rebooted. You should wait for the black to return and open your eyes. Twilight vision will be better.
Hemeralopia is the name given to night blindness. Patients in whom it is detected suffer from decreased quality of vision in twilight and unlit rooms. The problem can affect representatives of both sexes, and it is provoked not only by hereditary predisposition. Whatever the cause of the disease, it significantly ruins life and can provoke complete loss of vision. Night blindness often occurs due to deficiency.
Why is the disease called that?
Rods and cones are cells that form the retina of the eyes of healthy people. The first allows you to see black and white pictures, the second - color. Their ratio is 1:18.
Rod-shaped cells are composed of rhodopsin, which breaks down into daylight hours. In the absence of light, it is restored and provides twilight vision. When there is a lack of vitamin A, the restoration of the substance slows down, sometimes stops. As a result, the retina of the eyes partially loses sensitivity to dim light: a person who sees perfectly during the day turns into a blind person in the evening. During the day the changes are invisible.
Temporary blindness is called chicken blindness because chickens have a retina made entirely of cones. This allows them to see objects in color well during the day, but in the evening the birds' vision decreases. People diagnosed with this disease note that they sometimes experience dryness or a feeling of a foreign object in the eye, which indicates the severity of the problem. The patient loses orientation when quickly moving from light to shadow.
An inexplicable fear of the dark may indicate that the baby is developing night blindness. A child suffering from hemeralopia does not tolerate the absence of light well and is afraid of it, therefore, with the arrival of twilight, he begins to get nervous and restless. Sometimes the disease can lead to a deterioration in color vision in low light: the world is seen in dark colors, and the blue color becomes indistinguishable from yellow. In advanced stages, adults suffer from gray spots on the conjunctiva of the eyelids called Iskersky-Bitot plaques.
Factors provoking hemeralopia
The disease is divided into several groups.
Essential blindness , which appears as a result of a lack of zinc and certain vitamins.
The problem is also caused by:
- unbalanced diet;
- addiction to alcohol and sweets;
- severe exhaustion;
- serious intoxication;
- inflammatory diseases of the stomach, biliary tract or kidneys;
- anemia;
- diabetes mellitus
Symptomatic blindness - is a consequence of the development of eye diseases, such as hypermetropia, glaucoma, cataracts, and others. Sometimes the problem is caused by treatment with retinol (vitamin A) antagonist drugs, one of which may be quinine.
Congenital blindness - a consequence of an abnormality in the formation and development of the retina, which occurs in Usher syndrome. Such night blindness develops with early years, being hereditary in nature.
Night blindness is sometimes caused by addiction to strict diets, severely limited in the choice of foods, and vegetarianism. Women's vision may decrease during menopause. Measles, herpes and even chickenpox also sometimes cause hemeralopia.
A disease that reduces visual acuity is sometimes defined by doctors as “false night blindness,” which develops when the visual organs are overworked. There is no need to treat such hemeralopia with medications: proper rest is enough for it to disappear on its own.
Detection and treatment
The essential form, the development of which can be caused by vitamin deficiency, is treated. You just need to know which vitamin deficiency causes it. Most often, “acquired” night blindness, provoked by - this is a disease arising when, less often -.
If hemeralopia appears due to vitamin A deficiency, then it is accompanied by:
- bleeding gums;
- dry skin;
- hyperkeratosis.
When retinol deficiency has managed to turn into vitamin deficiency, keratomalacia occurs - softening of the membranes of the eyes. Gradually, erosions and ulcers appear on the visual organs.
To diagnose the disease, the ophthalmologist listens to the patient’s complaints and conducts a number of examinations, including adaptation to darkness. If there is a suspicion of the development of retinal abnormalities, electroretinography or ultrasound scanning is prescribed. A disease caused by a hereditary factor cannot be corrected with the help of vitamins. Surgery is often needed here.
To get rid of the symptomatic form, you must first identify the cause, and then carry out complex treatment, depending on individual indicators. When night blindness occurs due to a lack of vitamin A, it is eliminated with the help of vitamin preparations and dietary correction.
During treatment and for prevention, you should include in the diet:
- various fruits, berries, vegetables - apricots, peaches, broccoli, spinach, viburnum, wild garlic, etc.;
- egg yolk;
- dairy products - hard cheese,
Preventive measures look like this:
- the presence of vitamin A in sufficient quantities daily;
- refusal to visit the solarium;
- protect your eyes from ultraviolet radiation with high-quality sunglasses;
- proper rest and prevention of visual overstrain;
- annual visit to the ophthalmologist.
People who have experienced hemeralopia before, or those who have already experienced the first symptoms, should protect their eyes from bright light and flashes of light. For example, welding, fluorescent lights, or car headlights. Patients suffering from hemeralopia are never issued a driver's license.
If vision has decreased in only one eye, this cannot be considered a sign of night blindness. It always affects both visual organs.
Hello friends!
The topic of today's article is interestingly related to my childhood. I remember once, having heard the phrase “night blindness,” I was very amused, immediately imagining a chicken with funny glasses.
The imagination typical of children immediately made up a whole story about a bird that went to its “bird” eye doctor, and he checked its eyesight and wrote out a prescription for glasses.
However, as I grew up and began to study the topic of vision problems in detail, I realized that not everything is so fun and funny. And night blindness, despite its frivolous name, is a disease that can cause inconvenience and worsen a person’s quality of life.
I suggest you find out what causes this disease, what its symptoms and treatment methods are.
Twilight vision impairment
One of the most common eye diseases known since ancient times is hemeralopia, which is popularly called simply night blindness.
This disease is characterized by a sharp deterioration of vision in poor lighting.
And it turns out that in normal light a person does not have any problems with the ability to see objects clearly. But as soon as he moves into a room with poor lighting, all the signs of poor vision appear.
Night vision disorder is explained by the presence of various defects of the retina and optic nerve.
Physiologically, the retina of the eye consists of the following types of light-sensitive cells:
- cones, which are located in the center of the retina, have the ability to distinguish colors and see in the daytime;
- rods are located on the periphery and are responsible for a person’s ability to see at dusk and in low light conditions.
Normally, their ratio should be approximately 1:18. However, if the concentration of rods decreases for any reason, a person’s vision at night deteriorates and illness occurs.
Interestingly, the retina of chickens does not contain rods at all, so they can distinguish colors well, but cannot see in the dark. This fact explains the appearance of such a generally accepted name for the disease.
Symptoms of the disease
Among the main symptoms indicating the presence of night blindness are:
- blurred vision at dusk, blurred and blurry objects;
- loss of orientation in space and lack of coordination when it gets dark;
- worsening dark adaptation;
- decreased light sensitivity;
- narrowing of visual fields;
- disruptions in the perception of blue and yellow colors;
- it becomes difficult to recognize objects in blinding light;
- colored spots appear before the eyes when a person leaves a dark room into a light room;
- dryness and keratinization of the skin appears on the arms, legs, abdomen or back;
- feeling of dryness and burning in the eyes.
Night blindness, despite its apparent simplicity, is a dangerous disease that causes a lot of inconvenience.
So, this is a traumatic disease, since in the dark a person can stumble upon objects standing in the room and get hurt.
People with night blindness cannot obtain a driving license, as they will be blinded by the headlights of cars on the road.
Some professions that require absolute health, especially vision, are also prohibited for patients.
Causes of the disease
Night blindness is divided into congenital and acquired.
A congenital disease is a genetically determined visual defect. It is often accompanied by myopia or nystagmus.
In turn, acquired hemeralopia is divided into symptomatic, which accompanies the underlying eye disease, and essential, which develops as an independent disease.
Symptomatic hemeralopia
Impaired twilight vision usually develops with the following eye pathologies:
- various diseases of the retina - detachment, inflammatory processes or pigmentary degeneration;
- myopia (myopia);
- damage to the retina by various chemicals;
- glaucoma or cataracts;
- inflammation of the optic nerve.
Essential hemeralopia
Night blindness can be an acquired disease, the cause of which is factors such as:
- general exhaustion of the body, anemia;
- lack of vitamin A in the body, the deficiency of which is most often observed in newborn children or in people who are adherents of vegetarianism;
- lack of ultraviolet protection;
- traumatic brain injury;
- past infections such as measles, rubella, herpes;
- menopause in women;
- unbalanced diet;
- improperly organized lighting of your workplace;
- age after 40 years, since in a mature body all processes slow down, including nutrition of the retina.
Directions for treating the disease
Hemeralopia in a negative way affects a person’s quality of life, therefore, at the first manifestations of this disease, it is necessary to seek help from specialists.
Congenital night blindness cannot be completely cured. But its acquired variety can be cured.
It is only important to correctly find the cause of the disease. Otherwise, when time is lost, the disease will progress and the person will lose the ability to see in the dark.
Initially, doctors refer the patient to undergo tests that help determine what is missing in the body, clarify the level of retinol (vitamin A) and carotene.
It is possible that to diagnose hemeralopia you will also need to carry out perimetry (determination of visual fields) and adaptometry (test for light perception).
If a patient is found to have a deficiency of vitamin A, then the main direction of treatment will be the prescription of vitamin-containing drugs and carotenoids.
In the case of symptomatic night blindness, treatment should primarily consist of addressing the underlying disease.
Self-treatment is prohibited, as it can only worsen the situation. The patient can only adhere to preventive measures, namely the principles of a balanced diet.
Every day, your diet should include foods that contain retinol and carotene. They are rich in: cheese, spinach, egg yolk, butter, carrots, cod liver, tomatoes, berries.
If the intake of vitamins into the body from food is insufficient, the doctor may prescribe the use of pharmaceutical drugs. They must be taken in strict accordance with the required dosage and pay attention to similar effects that are characteristic of any medicine.
Timely treatment of hemeralopia will help improve the quality of life, stop the course of the disease or completely eliminate it.
