​Difficulty seeing in the dark

With review and feedback from Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates, P.A. Ophthalmologist Vipul Shah, MD (Blakeney, Monroe)

You used to enjoy going out at night, but that was before it started getting difficult for you to see. You certainly aren’t comfortable driving at night. Why? Well, you may have a condition called night blindness.

What is night blindness?

Night blindness, or nyctalopia, is the inability to see well at night or in poor light.

“Difficulty with night vision is very common for a wide variety of reasons,” CEENTA Ophthalmologist Vipul Shah, MD, said. “The lack of sunlight and the presence of glare from headlights and streetlights is very demanding on the eyes, and these conditions will often bring out underlying vision problems that aren't noticeable in bright daylight. Most of these conditions are treatable, so anyone noticing these symptoms for the first time should come in for a full eye exam.”

What causes night blindness?

Night blindness is not a disease, but is instead the symptom of one of several different eye conditions. It may be caused by glaucoma and glaucoma medications, cataracts, diabetes, keratoconus, retinitis pigmentosa, vitamin A deficiency, and nearsightedness.

How is night blindness treated?

To treat night blindness, your doctor would need to first diagnose, then treat, whatever is causing the condition. This could range from surgery to remove a cataract or glasses to address nearsightedness.

Can CEENTA treat my night blindness?

Do you have difficulty seeing in the dark or in low light conditions? CEENTA’s eye doctors are here for you. CEENTA’s ophthalmologists are specially trained to treat the wide variety of night blindness causes, and are happy to help you see better at every time of day.

This blog is for informational purposes only. For specific medical questions, please consult your doctor. Would you like an appointment with Dr. Shah? Call 704-295-3000. You can also request an appointment online or through myCEENTAchart.