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Night blindness. Causes, Symptoms, Treatment. What is night blindness, how to determine it and can it be cured?

Some people see almost nothing at all at dusk or later in the day. However, others can clearly distinguish objects in low light conditions. It's all about disruption of the structure of the eye. Let's take a closer look at what this disease is, how to identify it, and what treatment methods are the most effective.

Definition of disease

The scientific name for this disease is hemeralopia. Most people's eyes are designed in such a way that there are eighteen times more rods, which are used for night vision, than cones, which are responsible for daytime vision. If this natural relationship is violated, the structure of the eye changes, which inevitably leads to the loss of distinguishing objects in dark time days. Specific disturbances in the functioning of rods are less common when normal ratios them with cones.

Night blindness is a consequence bad work organs of vision.

Types and classifications

There are four main types of hemeralopia. Each of them has its own characteristics, specifics and classifications.

Congenital

This type of disease is transmitted hereditarily and its symptoms can be seen in quite early age. The following factors can provoke this:

  • Genetic diseases;

Essential (with a lack of vitamins)

It provokes failures in . This can be caused by a deficiency of vitamins A, PP, B2, and less commonly, zinc. This malaise can be caused by a disruption in the flow of these beneficial compounds into the body. Poor nutrition, lack of food, liver failure or stomach disease - all this can lead to hemeralopia.

One of the functions of the retina is the timely enrichment of the vitreous body and adjacent tissues with essential vitamins and minerals. With chronic local vitamin deficiency, the ability of the corneal elements to perceive not only colors and shades is lost, but also loss of orientation at night.

Symptomatic

This type of hemeralopia is possible in the presence of eye diseases that affect the retina or optic nerve. It can be provoked by: glaucoma, taperetinal dystrophy, siderosis.

False

Called normal fatigue eye means constantly watching TV, working at the computer. In this case, this is not really a disease, but a signal that the eyes need rest and rest.

The course of treatment depends on the type of disease.

Causes

There are a number of factors that can cause hemeralopia. These include:


In most situations, the patient is able to function and live quite normally with this diagnosis.

Symptoms

The disease can be signaled by the following symptoms:


If you have at least one symptom, you should immediately consult an ophthalmologist.

Possible complications

Night blindness itself does not pose any serious threats to human life. However, it is worth considering that basically this disease is a consequence of other, much more dangerous and unpleasant diseases. Also, a lack of vitamins leads to depletion of the structural components of the eye ( vitreous, cornea, retina, optic nerve), which gives complications in the form of other difficult-to-treat diseases.

Complications are that other serious illnesses. Also, not all types of hemeralopia can be cured. It all depends on the type and severity of the problem.

Diagnostics

Install accurate diagnosis only an ophthalmologist can based on the patient's complaints and problems.

The main method of diagnosis is electroradiography., allowing you to see all the anomalies in the retina. Human eyes are capable of responding to special electrical impulses, the data is recorded using an oscilloscope.

Carrying out electroradiography

In addition to this method, optical coherence tomography, refractometry, sometimes tonography.

A correct and timely diagnosis can increase the chances of recovery.

Treatment

Before starting treatment for night blindness, you should know that the congenital form cannot be treated at all. There are three main ways to get rid of this trouble– medicinal, surgical and folk. Let's take a closer look at each of them.

Medication method

An excellent medicine for getting rid of this disease is. It contains mass useful vitamins and components that allow you to normalize all processes in the organs of vision. After taking the drug, the tissues are saturated with oxygen, and nerve impulses are better conducted.

The dosage of the medication is as follows: Place a drop twice a day in each eye. The duration of the course is set individually for each patient. You need to know that the drug has complications in the form of allergies to certain components.

Side effects include loss of normal visual acuity while taking this product.

Riboflavin is used in the treatment of hemeralopia

As excellent remedy Medications containing vitamins A, B2, PP are suitable.

Surgically

This method takes place if hemeralopia was caused

  • Cod liver;
  • Dairy products;
  • Cheese;
  • Eggs;
  • Milk;
  • Blackberries, black currants, blueberries, peaches, gooseberries, cherries, rowan berries, apricots.
  • Eat more greens and vegetables.

Traditional methods have high efficiency only in case sharing with drugs.

Prevention

To avoid night blindness, you should healthy image life and eating right. You need to create a schedule for work and rest, and not let your eyes become overstrained. It is not recommended to sit in front of a computer monitor or TV in the dark. When constantly working with a computer, take a break every 40 minutes.

Should be worn during daylight hours Sunglasses. If you are a fan of ski resorts, then a mask will help protect your retina from snow that reflects light.

You need to know that a lot depends on the age of the person. The larger it is, the less chance for a complete cure.

Observe prevention without fail. This will not only reduce risks, but will improve your overall well-being and give you strength and energy.

Video

conclusions

Night blindness in humans is a very unusual disease that manifests itself in... It can be cured if it is not congenital. To do this, you need to lead a healthy lifestyle, consume more vitamins and follow preventive measures. If you are able to independently discover night blindness in yourself, immediately consult a doctor to investigate the cause of its occurrence. Sometimes it can hide behind itself more serious diseases, which, if ignored, can reduce the quality of vision.

The disease night blindness is associated with worsening or complete absence visibility at dusk, in low light conditions, also against this background, a person’s orientation in the dark is disturbed. The fact is that at low levels of illumination, the receptors of the retinal rods are responsible for vision, and under the influence of light their pigment (rhodopsin) disintegrates.

What is night blindness

The regeneration process lasts some time with the obligatory participation of vitamin A. Based on this, we can conclude that night blindness develops due to structural changes rods or due to rhodopsin deficiency.

The term “hemerolopia” is derived from the Greek words “hemer”, “ala” and “op”, which translated as “day”, “blind”, “sight”, is used in countries post-Soviet space. The term “nyctalopia” also comes from three Greek words “nyct”, “ala” and “op”, translated as “night”, “blind” and “sight”, used in England and Great Britain.

There are different types of hemeralopia: congenital, essential and symptomatic.

Congenital

It is hereditary in nature and begins to manifest itself in childhood and adolescence. During this period, children experience a progressive decrease in visibility at dusk and a lack of adaptation in the dark.

Essential

This form of night blindness is explained by insufficient intake of vitamin A into the body or impaired metabolism. The cause of this condition may be malnutrition during fasting, liver disease, alcohol abuse, or malaria. In such cases, the essential type of night blindness is temporary.

Symptomatic

Appears when:

  • retinal dystrophy;
  • inflammatory processes of the retina, as well as the membrane of the blood vessels of the eye,
  • glaucoma;
  • atrophy optic nerve;
  • complicated myopia and other visual abnormalities.

In addition to night blindness, in these cases other symptoms of a specific disease appear.

There is also the concept of false night blindness, which is characterized by a slight deviation in vision in low light against the background of banal eye fatigue. This type of hemeralopia is not subject to therapeutic intervention and goes away in the patient after proper rest.

Causes of the disease

There are no clear reasons that would indicate the development of hemeralopia, but one factor - lack of vitamin A - is a consequence of severe vision loss in twilight and darkness. Let's consider in what situations the disease night blindness occurs and what factors can provoke it:

  • genetic predisposition;
  • anemia;
  • severe exhaustion of the body;
  • liver diseases;
  • retinal diseases ( pigmentary degeneration, detachment, inflammation, etc.);
  • the use of drugs that are antagonists of vitamin A (for example, quinine);
  • poor nutrition (this primarily applies to vegetarians);
  • inflammation of the optic nerve;
  • myopia (nearsightedness);
  • physiological deficiency of vitamin A in the body;
  • transferred infectious diseases, in particular, chicken pox, rubella, measles, herpes;
  • menopause period;
  • previous traumatic brain injury;
  • insufficiently lit work area;
  • frequent and prolonged exposure to dazzlingly bright light, in the bright sun;
  • the presence of organic eye diseases (myopia, glaucoma, retinal pigment pathologies, etc.);
  • age over 40 years (during this period, the slow progression of all processes in the body, including the nutrition of the retina, begins).

Diagnostics

To establish a diagnosis of hemeralopia, it is necessary to conduct a number of examinations, which include:

  • identification of visual acuity using Sivtsev tables (so-called visometry);
  • use of Orlova tables (for children preschool age who cannot read and do not know letters);
  • perimetry - a study that determines visual fields;
  • fundus ophthalmoscopy;
  • tonometry - determination of intraocular pressure indicators;
  • eye biomicroscopy;
  • if necessary - refractometry, electroretinography and ultrasound scanning retina of the eyes.

The doctor also evaluates the condition of the optic nerve head, blood vessels, retina.

Treatment and prognosis

Treatment of night blindness is prescribed depending on the etiology and type. For example, with essential hemeralopia, the basis of treatment is a special diet, when a balanced and high-calorie diet is developed for the patient. The lack of vitamins is compensated by the following products included in the diet:

  • seafood - cod liver, squid, seaweed, shrimps;
  • dairy products - cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream;
  • eggs;
  • berries and fruits - blackcurrant, blackberry, peach, blueberry, cherry, gooseberry, rowan;
  • vegetables and green crops - carrots, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, green peas.

During treatment congenital form For hemeralopia, this diet therapy can also be used, but only a temporary and insignificant improvement in the condition occurs. But the narrowing of the visual field with insufficient lighting remains.

In the treatment of night blindness, the leading place is to replenish the required amount of vitamin A. Treatment of night blindness in the symptomatic form is necessary depending on the severity of the underlying disease in the patient. For example, surgical correction of myopia and treatment of glaucoma will return the patient to normal vision and he will have orientation in the dark.

Eye drops for hemeralopia

To support reduced vision, it is recommended to use Riboflavin drops (vitamin B2). This multicomponent complex will enrich the tissues of the organs of vision with oxygen and facilitate the conduction of nerve impulses in the retina. The complex is prescribed for keratitis, iriditis, night blindness and conjunctivitis.

Place one drop in each eye 2 times a day. Duration of treatment is from 5 to 15 days. The drug is contraindicated for patients who are intolerant to the components of Riboflavin.

Traditional treatment

Before you start taking remedies prepared according to folk recipes, you need to consult an ophthalmologist, after which you can use the following recipes:

  • accept as normal daily use a small amount of fish oil;
  • wash it down big amount water one grain of mustard, the next day 2 grains, etc., increase the amount to 20, and then in the reverse order;
  • use 1 tbsp. a spoonful of rosehip syrup daily;
  • prepare a decoction of millet, for which take 1 glass of millet, pour 2 liters of water over it and cook until tender, take 2-3 tablespoons of the pulp every day until visible improvements occur.

Prevention of night blindness

Night blindness is a disease that can be prevented, if it is not hereditary, by performing a number of the following preventive measures:

  • stick to proper nutrition by eating foods with vitamins, especially A and B2;
  • avoid the glare of oncoming headlights;
  • use the welding machine only with a special mask;
  • Avoid exposure to direct sunlight;
  • workplace should be well lit;
  • do not look at the bright snow;
  • avoid visiting the solarium;
  • wear sunglasses as needed;
  • undergo regular preventive examinations and promptly treat concomitant diseases.

To summarize the above, it should be noted that night blindness is an eye disease that, when correct behavior the patient is completely cured.


Essential hemeralopia (night blindness) is a twilight vision disorder resulting from diseases of the retina and optic nerve. The main cause of the disease is considered to be vitamin deficiency or hypovitaminosis A, B2, PP. Hemeralopia can be congenital, which cannot be treated, or acquired. It can also develop after measles or chickenpox in childhood. Common cause diseases include malnutrition and anemia, liver disease, exposure to alcohol, bright light. Treatment is symptomatic.

Instructions

If any difficulties arise in spatial orientation, impaired adaptation to darkness, narrowing of the field

consult an ophthalmologist. As a rule, preparations of animal origin containing vitamins A, B2, and PP are prescribed.

To treat hemeralopia, use a diet based on the consumption of foods containing essential vitamins. Eating beef is especially beneficial.

Carrots with

Cream or sour cream. It is useful to include two or three of the following products in your daily diet. These are tomatoes, spinach, green onions, black currants, apricots, gooseberries, cod liver, dairy products, egg yolk, caviar, millet.

Use the recipes traditional medicine, which contribute to the improvement of visual

and retina

Prepare the following herbal collection. Take 2 parts each of leaves and roots of dandelion, cordate linden flowers, blueberry leaves, one part each of leaves

sea ​​buckthorn

and buckwheat

sowing

After grinding, mix the ingredients.

Brew 3 tablespoons of the collection with 750 ml of boiling water. After soaking in a water bath for 15 minutes, leave for half an hour. Strain and drink 200 ml three times a day after meals.

Use stinging nettle for treatment. It is recommended to consume soup daily in the spring.

tops

young plants. During the rest of the year, take nettle infusion. Brew 2 tablespoons of crushed nettle leaves with a glass of boiling water.

After leaving for an hour, strain. Take 1/3 cup three times a day half an hour before meals.

Also use grass - wildflower (chicken

). Brew 5 grams of dry herb with 200 ml of boiling water and leave for 10 minutes, strain. Drink 15 ml three times a day after meals.

Accept fish fat 2 tablespoons three times a day. Course – 3-4

note

Essential hemeralopia is treatable and must be treated. According to statistics, the number of accidents involving drivers suffering from this disease is almost the same as those involving drunken motorists.

Helpful advice

Also include freshly prepared grape juice in your diet, carrot juice, juice from blueberries, sea buckthorn, and sea buckthorn oil.

How to treat night blindness

The congenital type of hemeralopia is practically untreatable, but the others can be successfully combated. For example, if night blindness is the result of some other eye disease, then the main treatment method here will be therapy for the underlying disease. Sometimes surgery may be necessary ( laser correction vision).

The essential type of disease is treated mainly with special diet. The patient should add foods high in vitamin A to his diet and also adhere to healthy routine day.

Diet for night blindness plays a very important role important role in the treatment of this disease. Be sure to include the following foods in your diet:

  1. Carrot.
  2. Egg yolk.
  3. Tomatoes.
  4. Millet.
  5. Berries.
  6. Butter.
  7. Spinach.
  8. Beef liver or cod liver.

Also, do not forget about vegetables and fruits: peaches, pumpkin juice, green peas, apricots, parsley. To improve the absorption of vitamin A, you need to add foods with vitamin E to your diet: nuts, seeds, broccoli, potatoes.

Eye drops for night blindness

Riboflavin. This is vitamin multicomponent drug, which contains riboflavin (i.e. vitamin B2). This tool It is considered only preventive; it helps to enrich tissues with the necessary amount of oxygen and facilitate the conduction of nerve impulses, especially in the retina. Indicated for night blindness, keratitis, conjunctivitis, iriditis.

Typically, the dosage of riboflavin is as follows: twice a day, the patient instills one drop of the drug into each eye. The duration of therapy can only be prescribed by a doctor.

The product is contraindicated in case of individual intolerance to its components. Among side effects can be distinguished: short-term loss of visual acuity, allergies.

Vitamins

Typically, treatment for night blindness is based on increasing intake of human body vitamin A. Usually preparations with this vitamin are prescribed in the following dosage: adults - up to 100 thousand IU of the vitamin per day, children - up to 5 thousand IU of the vitamin per day. You should also simultaneously prescribe medications with vitamins B2 and PP.

Traditional treatment

  1. Try to drink at least a little fish oil three times a day.
  2. Try to add the following foods to your daily diet: carrots, peas, green onions, spinach, black currants, beans, parsley, gooseberries, sea buckthorn.
  3. Drink one mustard seed daily with plenty of water. Gradually increase the dose of grains (up to 20 pieces), and then start decreasing again.

Please note before using traditional methods treatment of night blindness, you should consult your doctor.

Herbal treatment

  1. Infusion of stinking cornflower herb. Take 10 g of raw material, pour one glass of water, leave for 15 minutes, then strain. Take one tablespoon per day (3-4 times) before meals.
  2. Decoction of seed millet. Take one cup of millet, pour two liters of water into an enamel pan, cook until the grain is completely boiled. Use until vision improves.
  3. Decoction of medicinal herbs. Take equal shares of primrose leaves, lingonberries, blackberries, viburnum, forest raspberries, lemon balm and rhizomes snake mountaineer(one teaspoon each). Brew the resulting mixture in 0.35 liters of boiling water. Leave for one hour. Take half a glass three times a day.

Surgical treatment

If hemeralopia was caused by myopia, glaucoma, cataracts, then, in some cases, it is difficult to do without surgical treatment. Sometimes refractive surgery is necessary, which is based on the correction of corneal and retinal defects. If night blindness is caused by pigmentary dystrophy, then a transplantation is necessary. Glaucoma or cataracts are treated with lens replacement ( laser surgery eyes), which, of course, helps to cope with night blindness.

Night blindness or hemelaropia is a disease with impaired vision in twilight and twilight. That's why this disease also called twilight and night blindness. Is this disease dangerous? What causes it to appear? How does it manifest and how to treat it? Read about this in our article.

Night blindness disease

The disease night blindness develops in humans against the background of a deficiency of vitamin A (retinol), “responsible” for vision. It is found in visual purple, a light-sensitive substance in the human retina. When there is enough vitamin A, then a person sees well. If night blindness develops, vitamin A is in short supply, and it urgently needs to be replenished in order to avoid complete loss of vision. Acquired night blindness in humans is called functional. Functional hemelaropia can develop in the following conditions:

  • a person suffers from diseases of the retina (for example, retinal detachment, discoloration or inflammatory processes),
  • macular degenerative processes develop,
  • a person suffers from myopia, cataracts, glaucoma, traumatic brain injuries and other head injuries.

In addition, an improperly lit workplace, working at a computer, reading under a table lamp, as well as a lack of eye protection from ultraviolet radiation (bright sun at sea or in the mountains) negatively affect vision. People over 40 years of age can also become potential victims of night blindness, since, starting from this age, the metabolic rate in the body decreases, which impairs the nutrition of the retina. This leads to a deterioration in the ability to see in semi-darkness and darkness. Functional hemelaropia is not dangerous, and in most cases it can be successfully treated.

But there is another type of this disease, which is quite dangerous because it develops at the genetic level and cannot be treated. The development of this type of night blindness is determined by the structure of the retina human eye. Normally, the human retina contains special light-sensitive cells - rods and cones. They are present in the retina in a ratio of 18:1. With a decrease in the number of rods in the retina, a person begins to see worse in twilight and darkness, i.e. night blindness develops. And this disease is called so because the retina of a chicken contains only cones, so chickens can distinguish colors well, but see practically nothing in the dark.

Symptoms of night blindness

Symptoms of night blindness do not appear in humans in normal lighting conditions. He can fully perform all tasks: read, write, work on a computer, etc. The disease night blindness makes itself felt only at dusk. A person sees objects blurry, the image loses clarity, sometimes the perception of colors is disrupted, this is especially noticeable on objects of blue color. The behavior of a person suffering from night blindness changes dramatically in conditions of lack of light: coordination of movements is impaired, he becomes more careful.

Night blindness, the symptoms of which we have just described, appears in conditions of vitamin A deficiency in the human body. Night blindness is often accompanied by conjunctivitis, dry skin and mucous membranes. Another symptom of night blindness is keratinization of skin areas on the abdomen and buttocks, as well as brittleness and hair loss, and the appearance of ulcers on the cornea of ​​the eyes. This is especially true for children.

If you notice one or more symptoms of night blindness, contact an ophthalmologist who, using special tests, will determine your field of vision, the reaction of the pupils of your eyes to light, as well as the condition of the eye muscles and the retinal layer. Based on these studies, the doctor will conclude whether the person suffers from hemelaropia or not and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Treatment of night blindness

Treatment of night blindness, if it is congenital, is, unfortunately, impossible. Therefore further we'll talk about how to recover from functional hemelaropia, i.e. acquired night blindness. If you have been diagnosed with night blindness, treatment will depend on the cause. In order to get rid of night blindness, you need to cure the disease that caused it.

Most often, night blindness is caused by a lack of retinol; accordingly, vitamins for night blindness will be prescribed A and B2, which promote its best absorption. IN severe cases When a severe lack of vitamins is detected, it is replenished with the help of vitamin complexes. If the situation is not critical, then the patient should follow a diet, rich in food, which is a source of vitamin A. These are carrots, cabbage, citrus fruits, vegetables and fruit juices, cheese, milk and dairy products, eggs, cod liver, as well as turkey and beef liver.

It should be noted that night blindness is not a harmless disease. It is fraught with general deterioration of vision or its complete loss. Please note that if you notice a deterioration in vision in only one eye, while the other sees normally in the dark, then this is not night blindness, but some other disease of the visual organs. In this case, you should immediately consult a doctor in order to diagnose and treat the disease in a timely manner.

Besides balanced nutrition Prevention of night blindness includes protecting your eyes from the bright sun at sea and in the mountains by wearing sunglasses and special mountain glasses, proper lighting of the workplace, as well as taking good care of your health in general.

Essential hemeralopia is a disease that can affect every person. Vision is one of those capabilities of our body that allows us to conduct full image life. Therefore, it is very important to keep your eyes healthy. Find out how to treat night blindness at home using folk remedies right now! But first, do not forget to read why it occurs and how it manifests itself.

Causes and symptoms

The disease is a twilight vision disorder that occurs due to disease of the optic nerve or retina of the eye. In other words, a person does not distinguish or poorly distinguishes objects in the dark. The most common causes of night blindness are due to a lack of vitamins A, B2, and PP in the body. The disease can also be congenital and cannot be treated. Acquired night blindness, on the contrary, is eliminated using certain methods. The disease itself can appear after a person has been ill chicken pox or measles. Anemia, liver disease, malnutrition, exposure to bright light and alcohol - these and other factors can also lead to loss of twilight vision.

Folk remedies for treatment

Tincture recipes


Brew 2 tablespoons of stinging nettle with a glass of boiling water and leave for 50-60 minutes. Strain the infusion and take 1/3 cup 3 times a day before meals. It is also useful to prepare soup with the addition of young nettle tops.

A recipe for a tincture to treat this type of blindness at home.

Ingredients:

  • 2 parts of dandelion officinalis roots and leaves,
  • 2 parts of linden flowers,
  • 2 parts blueberry leaves,
  • 1 part sea buckthorn leaves,
  • 1 part buckwheat leaves.

For cooking folk recipe tinctures for night blindness Pour 3 tablespoons of the mixture with 750 grams of boiling water. We stand for 15 minutes in a water bath, and then leave for another 30 minutes. Medicine you need to take 200 milliliters 3 times a day after meals.

Folk remedy treatment from Vanga. If a person's blindness occurs at dusk and is called chicken blindness, cook beef or lamb liver. When the pan with only a hundred cooked product is removed from the heat, you need to lean over it and cover your head with a towel so that the steam remains inside and hits only the person’s face. Such warming helps to get rid of the disease - even the famous soothsayer Vanga recommended this recipe. In addition, for the treatment of blindness at home, the patient simple conditions You need to eat boiled liver for 10-14 days. " Chicken disease"will retreat and not bother you.

Home therapy for night blindness

Be sure to contact an ophthalmologist who will conduct an examination and draw up individual program treatment of blindness or as it is called twilight disease with folk natural and by safe means. Usually in these cases, patients are prescribed vitamins A, B2, PP.

Eat for therapy natural remedies- carrots with butter, beef liver, cream, tomatoes, black currants, blueberries, apricots, cod liver, egg yolk, millet, dairy products.


Take fish oil at a rate of 2-5 milligrams for 1 day. Course duration home treatment by simple means is 3-4 weeks. Use traditional medicine recipes - our ancestors knew exactly how to treat night blindness with conventional means.

We sincerely believe that these recipes alternative medicine will help you and your loved ones regain their sight and help you at home in the treatment of blindness in particular. Live life to the fullest and be healthy!

Night blindness is a deterioration of visual function in low light (for example, at night, at dusk, etc.). That is, in normal lighting a person sees normally, but if he goes into a dark room, his vision deteriorates greatly. This disease in Russian medicine is called hemeralopia. The British use another term - nyctalopia.

In case of night blindness, symptoms may appear in conditions of insufficient lighting and in the dark, although daytime the person sees everything perfectly. In this case, hemeralopia can be like separate disease, and a sign of some pathology.

Both women and men suffer from this disease. But at the age of 50 (due to menopause), this phenomenon occurs much more often in women than in men. This is due to endocrine and hormonal changes that influence everything internal organs, including eyeballs. In the remaining cases, the ratio of women and men facing pathology is approximately the same.

It is noteworthy that this disease does not occur among residents of the Far North (Eskimos, Mansi, Kamchadals, Khanty etc. ) and indigenous peoples of Australia. This is due to the fact that the eyeballs of such people have adapted to prolonged darkness, since there are long polar nights in their area.

The essence of the disease is that as soon as a person finds himself in low light conditions, he loses the ability to clearly determine the outlines of the surrounding environment, as if fog appears before his eyes. At the same time, there is almost no difference in colors; everything looks very dark and monochromatic. People are worse at distinguishing shades of blue. Among other things, the field of view is noticeably narrowed.

People have known about the existence of this vision problem for a very long time. Hemeralopia has a very bad effect on the quality of life, as it often provokes fear of the dark and disorientation when poor lighting, which often leads to injuries when performing the most ordinary actions.

Varieties and characteristics

Currently, experts distinguish three types of night blindness:

  1. Congenital.
  2. Essential.
  3. Symptomatic.

The congenital type is determined by genetic predisposition and occurs in adolescents and young children. Causes may include congenital diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa and Usher syndrome.

In the essential form, a disorder of the retina occurs, which is associated with a lack of vitamins B2, PP and A. Shortage necessary substances may be associated with regular alcohol consumption, gastrointestinal and liver diseases.

Symptomatic hemeralopia appears against the background of certain eye diseases, in which damage occurs to the optic nerve or retina. In this situation, night blindness is a sign of glaucoma, nerve atrophy, siderosis, chorioretinitis, etc.

In addition to the varieties mentioned above, experts also distinguish false night blindness. Wherein visual function temporarily worsens due to simple fatigue, for example, after prolonged work at the computer, etc. Vision is completely restored after rest, all symptoms of night blindness in a person disappear.

Treatment methods

Therapeutic measures are directly dependent on the type of disease. So, symptomatic type disease requires first curing the underlying disease that is causing the problem.

Congenital and essential forms are treated according to the same therapeutic principles. In this case, preparations enriched with vitamins B2, PP and A are used. It is also recommended to adjust your diet by supplementing it fresh vegetables and fruits.

Products that you should include in your menu to get rid of the disease:

To get rid of the disease, you need to take vitamins and follow a special diet for two to three months. The specific timing will be determined by an ophthalmologist.

Taking vitamins and a special diet are also required for the therapeutic complex, along with a cure for the causative disease that caused vision impairment. But it should be noted that the essential variety can be completely cured, while the congenital variety is almost beyond the control of therapy.

In addition, if you have this disease, you should avoid fluorescent light bulbs and bright car headlights. IN evening time It is advisable to use special glasses.

Night blindness is a human disease in which there is no ability to fully see at dusk or in poor lighting. The eyes become less sensitive to light, the field of vision narrows, and primary colors are poorly distinguished.

Causes

The disease develops due to a lack of vitamin A in the human body or lack of good nutrition. The disease can also provoke incorrect operation liver, anemia and severe exhaustion of the whole body.

Congenital disease manifests itself at a very early age and is genetic in nature.

The disease can also develop against the background of existing vision defects, namely: glaucoma, cataracts, myopia, and so on.

However, the root cause of this disease, regardless of its form, is a lack of rhodopsin pigment and its insufficient production in the retina

Signs

With a lack of vitamin A and night blindness, a person experiences a constant deterioration in the ability to see clearly at dusk or in poor lighting; the retina of the eyes becomes extremely sensitive to bright daylight or artificial light. The patient has an inability to distinguish colors, mainly in all shades of blue. A common indicator of vitamin A deficiency is the presence dark spots in a person’s field of vision when he suddenly moves from a dark place into a brightly lit room. The ability to navigate in space at night is lost.

Night blindness, if its cause is not vitamin A deficiency, very often occurs with persistent conjunctivitis, dry skin and mucous membranes. Also a sign of the disease are keratinized areas of skin that appear on the abdomen and buttocks, brittleness and hair loss, and the appearance of ulcers on the cornea of ​​the eyes, especially in children.

Detection of the disease

The diagnosis of night blindness is made by an ophthalmologist based on an examination of the patient and examination of his complaints. Research is also carried out using special equipment that establishes the fact of abnormal processes occurring in the retina and cornea of ​​the human eye. Vitamin A deficiency is determined using a complete blood test.

Treatment

If the disease is caused by a lack of vitamin A or poor nutrition, then diet therapy is prescribed to treat it. This method is based on eating foods high in calories. These include:

  • eggs;
  • milk and dairy products;
  • Cod liver;
  • a wide variety of vegetables and fruits;
  • other foods rich in vitamin A.

Treatment of night blindness congenital type also goes away with a balanced diet, but this rarely gives positive result. This method may somewhat improve the child’s ability to see at dusk or in poor lighting, but full vision will never be achieved.

Treatment of night blindness, which appears against the background of another eye disease, takes into account the severity of the underlying vision pathology. For example, getting rid of glaucoma by surgical intervention can completely restore the ability to see and navigate equally well in any lighting.

Danger of disease

Absence complex treatment is fraught with serious consequences. Children experience deterioration in peripheral vision or total loss. Adults with night blindness very often get into accidents, since they have practically no visual acuity and the ability to fully navigate the road.

It is worth noting that decreased vision in one eye is not a sign of the disease, since it always affects both eyes.