Night blindness, also called nyctalopia, means a person cannot see well at night or in poor light. Night blindness is not an eye condition itself, but is a symptom of other eye problems, such as untreated short-sightedness.
Night blindness affects the ability to drive and is a condition the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) needs to be told about.
What causes night blindness?
Night blindness is due to a disorder of the cells in the retina that are responsible forvision in dim light. It has many causes, including:
- Short-sightedness
- Glaucoma medications that work by constricting the pupil
- Cataracts
- Retinitis pigmentosa
- Vitamin A deficiency