Causes of night blindness and features of treatment of the disease. What is night blindness, how to determine it and can it be cured?

Or hemeralopia is a pathology characterized by a sharp deterioration in visual acuity with poor lighting.

There is deterioration in vision at night or at dusk, when moving from a lighted room to a dark one. As a result, a person’s ability to navigate in space and the perception of yellow and blue colors are impaired.

Night blindness - what is the disease characterized by?

Night blindness is a disease in which vision deteriorates in low light conditions. The development of pathology is caused by a decrease in the threshold of sensitivity of the retina to light. The level of vision impairment depends on the properties of the retina.

There are several types night blindness.

1. Congenital. It appears from childhood. Develops during failures metabolic processes in the body, fermentopathy. For congenital form The pathology is characterized by a gradual deterioration of vision. Orientation in space is impaired in poor lighting.
2. Symptomatic. Develops due to retinal dystrophy as a result of eye diseases. The pathology is accompanied by symptoms that are characteristic of a specific eye disease.
3. Essential. It occurs as a result of a deficiency of vitamin A in the body. This type is temporary. Appears when poor nutrition, abuse bad habits, liver diseases and gastrointestinal tract. This form of pathology is characterized by the appearance dark spots on the eyeball.

Causes of this pathology

Lead to sharp deterioration vision can be caused by various dysfunctions of the body. The main causes of pathology are:

1. Osteochondrosis cervical region. As a result of spinal deformation, blood circulation, oxygen saturation of the brain, and optic nerve.
2. Vegetative-vascular dystonia. The disease occurs when chronic fatigue, sleep disorders, stressful situations. There are malfunctions nervous system, which lead to the appearance of dark spots before the eyes.
3. Hypertensive crisis. Sharp jumps blood pressure cause damage to the lower retina eyeball, increasing its sensitivity.
4. Lack of vitamins A, P2 (bioflavonoids), PP (nicotinic acid) in the body.
5. Diseases of the liver, gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system.
6. Metabolic disorders.
7. Poor nutrition, alcohol abuse.
8. Eye diseases: glaucoma, myopia.
9. Retinal pathologies: inflammation, detachment, pigment pathology.
10. Diseases of the optic nerve.
11. Taking medications that can destroy vitamin A.

Eye trauma and age-related changes can also lead to the development of night blindness.

What vitamin deficiency causes a problem?

The disease night blindness can be either congenital or acquired. A lack of vitamins in the body can lead to the development of the disease. Pathology occurs with a lack of vitamin A, sometimes B2, PP.

The cause of vitamin deficiency is:

• poor nutrition;
• fasting;
• anemia;
• dysfunction of the liver and gastrointestinal tract;
• chickenpox;
• rubella;
• intoxication of the body.

The development of vitamin deficiency is accompanied by the occurrence of symptoms such as dry skin, sensitive, bleeding gums, and hyperkeratosis. Retinol (vitamin A) deficiency leads to softening of the membrane of the eyeball. After some time, erosions and ulcers appear on the surface of the eyes.

Vitamin deficiency leads to a disruption in the production and restoration of rhodopsin, the lack of which causes a deterioration in the sensitivity of the retina to poor lighting. A person who has excellent vision daytime days, at night he becomes practically blind.

The patient is poorly oriented in space in poor lighting, and a sensation of presence appears in the eyes foreign body, dry eye syndrome develops, color perception is impaired.

Symptoms of night blindness in humans

Signs of the disease appear depending on the causes of the pathology.

Characteristic symptoms in a person with night blindness (symptoms of vitamin A deficiency):

• the picture is unclear, the outlines of objects become blurry and indistinct;
• the perception of blue and yellow colors worsens;
• coordination of movements is impaired;
• inflammatory process of the mucous membrane of the eyeball;
• dry skin, mucous membranes of the eyes;
• keratinization of the skin;
• the appearance of ulcers on the cornea;
• increased brittleness of nails and hair loss;
• bleeding gums;
• sensation of the presence of a foreign body in the eyes;
• narrowing of the field of view in poor lighting;
• there is a need to increase the brightness of light during the day while reading and writing;
• a sharp deterioration in vision when the brightness of the light decreases;
• gray spots on the conjunctiva of the eyelids;
• dark spots before the eyes.

A person who has a vision pathology involuntarily changes his behavior. He becomes more careful, not in a hurry, avoids sudden transitions between bright light and a dark room.


As a result of the development of pathology in early childhood, children develop a fear of the dark. Before the onset of darkness, their feeling of fear and panic increases. Children become restless.

Correct diagnosis of the disease

A doctor can determine the cause of deterioration in visual acuity and prescribe effective treatment by prescribing diagnostic methods. First, the specialist conducts visual inspection visual organs, interviewing the patient.

The main diagnostic methods include:

1. Visometry. The quality of vision is determined using the Sivtsev table. For young children, use the Orlova table.
2. Fundus ophthalmoscopy. Helps examine the optic disc, retina, and blood vessels.
3. Tonometry. The quantity is measured intraocular fluid, intraocular pressure.
4. Biomicroscopy. Allows microscopy of the structure of the eyeball: anterior chamber, iris, cornea, lens, fundus.
5. Optical coherence tomography allows you to determine the condition of the retina.
6. Perimetry is carried out to determine the size of the field of view.
7. Adaptometry. Helps establish the level of light perception. A flash of bright light is directed into the eyes. The time period is then measured to determine the level of vision adaptation.
8. Electroretinography can detect retinal defects.

After the diagnosis, the ophthalmologist determines the diagnosis and prescribes treatment to eliminate the pathology.

Danger of disease

Night blindness often occurs as a consequence of another eye disease. Absence effective treatment with a simultaneous deficiency of vitamin A, leads to the development of undesirable complications.

The nature of the consequences that arise from the pathology depends on the causes of its occurrence: glaucoma, optic nerve atrophy, retinal pathology, myopia.

Some, with the development of night blindness, experience psychological disorders, because loss of vision and a feeling of uncertainty negatively affect the psyche. They may have a fear of the dark, they are poorly oriented in space in poor lighting, and often get into accidents.

As a result of metabolic disturbances, there is a deposition of iron salts in the organs of vision (siderosis of the eye), which leads to pigmentation of the cornea and optic nerve head.

At complete absence treatment may develop pain syndrome, tear production increases, the eyes quickly get tired with minimal stress. If the disease is caused by genetic factors, it can be transmitted from parents to children.

In the initial stages of the development of the disease, it can be eliminated with the help of drug therapy. Further development pathology leads to severe complications, which can lead to total loss vision.

Effective treatment of the disease

Therapy for night blindness depends on its forms and causes. There are several treatment methods.

1. Drug therapy. The patient is prescribed a course of vitamins A, B2, PP. The doctor also prescribes ophthalmic vitamin solutions and drugs to treat the provoking disease. They help quickly saturate the retina with vitamins.
2. Surgical intervention. For symptomatic hemeralopia, therapy consists of eliminating the underlying eye disease. Refractive surgery is performed when replacing the lens, skeroplasty. Myopia can be eliminated using laser correction. To treat cataracts and glaucoma, trabeculectomy, trabeculotomy, and phacoemulsification are performed. For retinal detachment, laser coagulation is used.

In combination with traditional therapy, folk methods are used:

1. In 0.5 l boiled water add 3 tablespoons of rose hips. The mixture should be boiled for 10 minutes and left for at least 12 hours. The finished medicine is taken 1-3 glasses three times a day. The course of therapy is 1 month.
2. Combine lingonberries, blackberries, primroses, raspberries, lemon balm, and knotweed root in equal quantities. Pour 350 ml of boiling water over a teaspoon of the vegetable mixture. Leave for 1 hour. Drink the prepared infusion ½ glass 3 times a day.

Helps speed up the healing process dietary food. IN daily diet It is necessary to include foods that are sources of vitamin A.

Proper prevention and prevention of disease

Preventive measures will help speed up the recovery process and prevent the recurrence of pathology:

1. Balanced diet. Include foods that contain vitamin A in your daily diet. These include: cod liver, butter, dairy products, eggs, fruits, berries, vegetables, herbs.
2. Healthy sleep. It is necessary to maintain a sleep schedule. The duration of night rest should be at least 8 hours. It is advisable to go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
3. Moderate physical exercise. When playing sports or physical labor, it is necessary to avoid heavy physical exertion.
4. Walking on fresh air. Hiking in the open air helps saturate the body with oxygen, activates metabolism, general strengthening body.
5. Wear Sunglasses. Eyes must be protected from bright sunlight, blinding light from car headlights. It is not recommended to look at snow in sunlight.
6. Proper workplace lighting long work at computer.
7. Observe hygiene rules. It is necessary to avoid getting foreign bodies, dust, and germs into the eyes. After visiting public places, walking in the fresh air, contact with sick people, pets, you should wash your hands.
8. Every day you need to drink about 1.5 liters of purified water. This volume of fluid helps normalize water-salt balance in organism.
9. Treat colds, viral and infectious diseases in a timely manner.

If the first symptoms of eye disease develop, you should immediately consult an ophthalmologist.

Why does the disease have such a name?

Hemeralopia wears popular name night blindness. The disease received this name due to its similarity human retina for hemeralopia with chicken retina. The retina of the human eyeball consists of “cones” and “rods”.

“Cones” are elements with the help of which a person has the ability to distinguish the colors and shapes of objects. The “sticks” perform the function of light perception.

The chicken retina consists only of “cones”. Therefore, animals are unable to see in the dark. As a result of the development of pathology in people, deformation of the retina occurs, in which dysfunction of the “rods” is observed. As a result, a person loses the ability to distinguish shapes and colors of objects in poor lighting.

Whenever characteristic symptoms development of pathology, it is necessary to consult a specialist. You should not resort to self-medication.

Incorrect, untimely therapy can lead to the development undesirable consequences, complications. May cause complete loss of vision.

Treatment with folk remedies

Traditional treatment for night blindness is to use various decoctions, infusions and juices and other preparations from plants and products containing vitamins A, PP and B2, necessary for normal functioning eye.

So, effective traditional methods Treatments for night blindness are the following infusions, juices, decoctions and gruels:

1. Mix 2 parts each of blueberry leaves, linden flowers and dandelion (leaves, roots and flowers), add 1 part each of buckwheat and sea buckthorn leaves. tablespoon ready mixture pour a glass of boiling water over the herbs and heat in a water bath for 15 minutes. Then leave in a warm place for half an hour, strain and take the prepared decoction one glass three times a day after meals.
2. Pour a teaspoon of wildflower flowers into a glass of boiling water and leave for 10 minutes. Take the finished infusion one tablespoon three times a day after meals.
3. Pour a teaspoon of blue cornflower flowers into a glass of boiling water and leave for one hour. Strain the infusion and take 1/4 cup three times a day half an hour before meals.
4. Pour one tablespoon of blueberries into a glass of boiling water and leave for four hours. Strain the finished infusion and take half a glass three times a day, regardless of meals.
5. Consume sea buckthorn berries fresh or frozen, two glasses a day.
6. Pour three tablespoons of sea buckthorn berries into a glass of boiling water and leave for half an hour, then strain. Drink the prepared infusion twice a day an hour after meals. You can add honey or sugar to the infusion to improve the taste.
7. Pour two tablespoons of nettle leaves and stem tips with a glass of boiling water, leave for an hour, then strain. Take the finished infusion 1/3 cup three times a day half an hour before meals.
8. Take half or a whole glass of fresh carrot juice 2-3 times a day half an hour before meals. The juice should be prepared immediately before use and stored for no more than 30 minutes.
9. Take blueberry juice diluted three times a day before meals. For each dose, you need to dilute a tablespoon of juice in half a glass of water.
10. Take half a glass of grape juice three times a day, half an hour before meals.
11. Sprout the wheat grains, then grind them in a meat grinder. A tablespoon of sprouted pulp grains of wheat pour a glass of boiling water and heat in a water bath for half an hour. Then leave for 15 minutes, then strain. Take the finished decoction 1/3 cup three times a day, regardless of meals.
12. Fish oil take 30–40 ml three times a day; Eat every day small piece lightly fried beef liver.
13. Take a teaspoon of sea buckthorn oil three times a day before meals. Before use, you should consult a specialist.

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 conductivity nerve impulses in the retina of the eye. 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.

Which doctor treats

The disease is treated by an ophthalmologist. Depending on the concomitant diseases, it is possible to attract specialists of other profiles

What is night blindness - symptoms and treatment

Night blindness is a disease visual system, in which a person can see poorly only in twilight, at night, or in any low light. This name is of a folk nature; in medicine it is listed as hemeralopia (Russian) or nyctalopia (European).

General information about the disease

During daylight hours or in bright light, hemeralopia does not affect vision in any way, and a person can see the world clear and bright. But as soon as you turn off or dim the lights, visibility begins to deteriorate greatly.

The drawing for comparison shows how a person suffering from hemeralopia sees.

Hemeralopia is not difficult to determine. In a dark space, a person not only begins to see poorly, it is difficult for him to determine general outlines, the colors become incomprehensible and everything begins to merge with each other. The blue color is not visible at all, only dark silhouettes can be distinguished.

What is night blindness (video)

In this video, a specialist tells everything about night blindness: why it has this name, where it came from, what methods of treating this disease exist.

Types of night blindness and their characteristics

• Symptomatic– occurs due to complications of other eye diseases that negatively affect the retina and optic nerve. It appears against the background of glaucoma, myopia, siderosis and optic nerve atrophy.
• Congenital- manifests itself in childhood, can be transmitted through genes. Sometimes it occurs due to genetic abnormalities or complications.
• Essential– occurs in case of deficiency of vitamin PP, B2 and A. In this case, hemeralopia manifests itself due to a violation of the proper functioning of the retina. The reasons may be poor nutrition, strict diets, starvation, alcoholism, severe poisoning.
• False- in fact, this is not hemeralopia, but simple eye fatigue, due to which a person sometimes sees poorly in the dark. Staying at the computer for a long time, reading books in poor lighting - all this will cause a reaction on the retina of the eyes, and it will become difficult to see in a darkened space. This is a temporary phenomenon that does not pose a risk to vision, but only if the eyes are given regular rest.

Causes

So why do chopsticks lose their functionality? The cause of this phenomenon is considered to be a disruption in the production of rhodopsin or its partial decay. This happens due to a lack of vitamin A, which saturates the eyes with the necessary pigment.

Congenital night blindness is caused by genetic abnormalities that cannot be tracked or prevented during pregnancy. But this is not a death sentence for a child; with such a diagnosis one can live a full life.

In the case of symptomatic hemeralopia, the causes of the disease are complications or serious eye diseases that affect the retina of the eyes.

How does night blindness occur (video)

Symptoms

With hemeralopia, it is difficult to see colors in a darkened space. Red shades mix with blue, dark becomes light, and light becomes dark. In poor lighting, a person suffering from hemeralopia will not be able to read anything, even if the darkness is slight. This will require ideally bright lighting, in which a person’s vision begins to work to the maximum.

Diagnostics

Tests carried out to detect hemeralopia:

• perimetry;
• refractometry;
• fundus examination;
• adaptometry.

Treatment

• With congenital Treatment for night blindness is useless. To this day, experts are conducting a number of studies, and still cannot find effective method restoration of vision in congenital genetic abnormalities eye.
• For symptomatic hemeralopia specialists primarily treat the disease that caused the disease to develop.
• For essential For night blindness, the treatment procedure is carried out with synthetic vitamin complexes containing an increased concentration of vitamins A, PP and B2, and following a diet. This type Hemeralopia is much more common than others and is easier to treat, but it takes a lot of time (on average 3-6 months).

• limit vision from bright light rays;
• try not to suddenly enter a brightly lit room or, conversely, a very dark one;
• Avoid shining car headlights.

Folk remedies

The most effective folk remedies in the fight against night blindness are:

• Ripe sea buckthorn berries. Can be in the form of jam, compote or jam.
• Blueberry. You can simply eat it, make jam, compotes.
• Carrot. Drink 2 glasses of freshly squeezed carrot juice daily.
• Ripe grapes. Good to drink natural juice. You can sometimes drink homemade grape wine (do not abuse it).
• Take 1 tablespoon of fish oil daily with meals.
• Eat beef liver once a week.

Prevention

• do eye exercises every day;
• if there is a lot of strain on the eyes (reading, computer), give your eyes a rest every 1.5 hours;
• eat right and eat extra

Night blindness is a popular designation for vision pathology, which in medicine is called hemeralopia or nyctalopia. The disease manifests itself in a significant deterioration in visual perception in low light conditions environment. At the same time, a person’s coordination is impaired, visual fields are narrowed, and there is an incorrect perception of things in blue and yellow shades.

Etiology

Night blindness has specific causes of manifestation. Doctors noted that the disease may have a congenital etiology, the causes of which have not been precisely determined. The main provoking factor is associated with a lack of vitamin A in the body.

Nyctalopia, another one medical term night blindness, also acts as a symptom various pathologies, which are based on damage retina:

• high degree;
• pigmented;
• siderosis.

With a lack of vitamins A, PP, B2, a person’s visual perception also worsens. Certain ailments and indicators can provoke this condition:

• unbalanced diet;
• starvation;
• or ;
• liver diseases;
• damage to the gastrointestinal tract;
• alcoholism;
• exhaustion of the body;
• certain medications;
• prolonged exposure to bright light.

Classification

Based on the etiology of the disease, clinicians have determined that night blindness, as a disease, can manifest itself in three forms:

• congenital – develops due to a hereditary factor in childhood;
• essential - night blindness develops from a lack of vitamins and microelements, when the structure of the retina of the eye is disrupted;
• symptomatic - progresses from concomitant ailments that affect the retina or optic nerve.

Also in medicine, there is another type of disease called false hemeralopia. It manifests itself in a minor violation visual function In the dark. The disease is provoked severe overwork eye. This type of disease does not require medication assistance, which is why the patient needs to rest fully.

Symptoms

As a rule, night blindness occurs in people from vitamin deficiency. Therefore, it will not be difficult for the patient to cope with such an illness. In order to recognize the disease in time, a person needs to monitor all changes in vision, especially during twilight.

Doctors have identified the main symptoms of a person suffering from night blindness:

• gradual deterioration of visual perception;
• the retina does not respond well to the light source;
• color perception deteriorates;
• dark spots appear;
• foreign body sensation;
• loss of orientation in space.

If night blindness manifests itself in an adult, then Iskersky-Bito plaques may indicate the disease. They appear as spots on the conjunctiva of the eyes and are colored in a characteristic grey colour, and are also located flush with the surface of the shell.

If nyctalopia has developed due to a lack of vitamins, the patient will experience slightly different symptoms. The person exhibits some of the above changes and also becomes dehydrated skin covering, gums begin to bleed, heavily compacted areas appear on the body. Night blindness manifests itself in characteristic features, to which are added such symptoms as keratomalacia. In a place where the cornea of ​​the eye has softened a little, the patient may experience erosion or an ulcer.

In childhood, anxiety manifests itself with the onset of darkness.

Diagnostics

A disease such as night blindness can only be diagnosed by a doctor. If a person experiences some of the symptoms listed above, they should definitely consult an ophthalmologist. Using electroretinography and medical history analysis, the physician can determine correct diagnosis and determine the causes of eye abnormalities.

also in diagnostic measures The patient may be referred for the following examinations:

• perimetry – identification of eye fields;
• adaptometry - a test for the perception of a light source;
• electrooculography – examination eye muscles and the surface of the retina during eye movement.

Treatment

If a person is diagnosed with congenital hemeralopia, then treatment is impossible. Other forms of the disease can be cured with medications and folk ways. In very rare and severe cases Doctors resort to surgical therapy.

Emerging problems with essential type eyes can be eliminated with diet. The patient is simply prescribed to consume more vitamin A, as well as to follow the correct and healthy regime day. Diet therapy that can be prescribed to a patient is based on the use of the following ingredients:

• carrot;
• yolk from a chicken egg;
• tomatoes;
• cheese dairy product;
• millet;
• berries;
• butter;
• spinach;
• beef liver.

Also, the patient should not forget about fresh vegetables and fruits. Doctors recommend eating more peaches, pumpkins, green peas, parsley and apricots. In addition to vitamin A, the body needs to be enriched with vitamin E. To do this, it is worth adding nuts, seeds, potatoes and broccoli to the diet.

Drug treatment for night blindness involves taking vitamins and special drops to improve vision. Often the drops contain vitamin complexes, which have a positive effect on the retina.

Traditional medicine provides for the elimination of hemeralopia in the following ways:

• drink fish fat three times a day;
• take rosehip decoction.

It is possible to treat the disease surgically only if hemeralopia manifests itself in a person in a symptomatic form. Often surgery is prescribed for patients with glaucoma. Thanks to operational assistance the patient regains his former vision at any lighting intensity.

Is everything correct in the article? medical point vision?

Answer only if you have proven medical knowledge

Diseases with similar symptoms:

Diabetes represents such chronic illness, in which the work is subject to damage endocrine system. Diabetes mellitus, the symptoms of which are based on a prolonged increase in the concentration of glucose in the blood and on the processes accompanying an altered state of metabolism, develops in particular due to a deficiency of insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, due to which the body regulates the processing of glucose in the tissues of the body and in his cells.

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 bottom line is reduced vision at dusk (as opposed to day blindness, when vision is reduced in daylight conditions).

The disease got its name “night blindness” because of its similarity clinical picture with chicken vision: these birds distinguish a variety of colors quite well, but practically cannot see the dark.

Three forms of night blindness

1. Congenital hemeralopia. There is a pronounced hereditary nature of the disease. It manifests itself early - in childhood or adolescence. There is a significant decrease twilight vision and a persistent decrease in dark adaptation. The reason is that in such patients the in rare cases The so-called rod photoreceptors of the retina may be completely absent in the fundus of the eye; as a result, a person sees significantly worse at dusk and in the dark.
2. 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 spatial orientation, as well as improving the perception of some colors, especially blue and yellow. In most cases, essential hemeralopia is temporary and can be corrected.
3. Essential hemeralopia is characterized by a narrowing of visual fields, especially in 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.
4. Symptomatic hemeralopia. In this case, hemeralopia is a manifestation of some other disease:
   1. develops in some cases with retinal dystrophy;
   2. at inflammatory diseases retina and choroid eyes;
   3. with optic nerve atrophy;
   4. promotion intraocular pressure, glaucoma;
   5. complicated myopia;
   6. siderosis.

In these cases, along with the 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, since they contribute best assimilation retinol.

Prevention of night blindness

• the disease can be prevented by balanced nutrition, including products containing sufficient amounts of vitamin A;
• Protecting your eyes from bright sunlight, for example by using sunglasses;
• optimal lighting of the workplace;
• careful attitude to eye health and the health of the body as a whole.

Night blindness is a disorder of vision in dark conditions. Found among different age categories, and has both congenital and acquired etiology. Night blindness is called hemeralopia or night blindness also.

The disease night blindness is characterized by a decrease in the sensitivity of the retina to light at different light intensities (decreased). Some people with this condition may experience only minor discomfort in the dark, and some may not see anything at all. As a rule, night blindness does not cause complications or changes in the tissues of the eye, unless it is caused by a genetic factor. The decrease in visual perception of objects is especially noticeable the first time after the lighting decreases, after which the eye adapts to the surrounding environment. Often the disease night blindness is characterized by a decrease in color perception, especially blue tones. Some patients see dark and colored spots, as well as shadows on fixed objects. This symptomatology is observed along with the main manifestations of the disease.

Causes of the disease night blindness

Night blindness is divided into three types depending on the reasons that provoked it:

• Essential;
• Congenital;
• Symptomatic.

In the first case, there is a lack of vitamins in night blindness, in particular vitamin A. This type is found in most patients with this diagnosis. Also, this type of disease can cause anemia, liver disease and severe exhaustion body. Sometimes night blindness develops as a result of treatment with vitamin A antagonist drugs, for example, quinine.

The congenital form of night blindness is not associated with vitamins, although the course of treatment always includes vitamin preparations. Here we are talking about the genetic influence on human health. Pathology of this type is rare and makes itself felt in early childhood. However, to date, the exact causes of the genetic development of the disease have not been identified.

Symptomatic night blindness occurs against the background of organic eye diseases, such as high myopia, glaucoma, and retinal pigment pathologies. When the underlying diseases are cured, this phenomenon usually disappears.

Regardless of the causes of night blindness, impaired vision at dusk occurs due to a disruption in the formation of the rhodopsin pigment in the optic rods of the retina.

Symptoms of night blindness

With night blindness, the patient notes weakened vision and orientation in space due to lack of light. Also, the symptoms are accompanied by a disruption in the process of adaptation to darkness after a bright room. In the twilight, a person ceases to distinguish some colors, which further complicates the situation.

When diagnosing of this disease Drivers are not issued a medical certificate.

Diagnosis of night blindness

The diagnosis is made by an ophthalmologist based on the patient’s complaints and the general clinical picture. Research into human adaptation to darkness is also needed. Electroretinography data is required to determine retinal abnormalities.

Treatment of night blindness

The congenital form of the disease cannot be completely cured, but taking certain vitamins for night blindness, although slightly, improves the patient’s vision.

With the essential form, in all cases a high-calorie diet is indicated, enriched with foods containing vitamin A (spinach, carrots, egg yolk, milk, butter, cod liver, cheese), multivitamin A (tomatoes, green pea, carrots, lettuce, blueberries, blackberries, gooseberries, apricots, cherries, peaches, black currants) and riboflavin. Thus, the lack of vitamins in night blindness is compensated for, and vision is restored.

If the disease arose as a result of eye diseases, then treatment of night blindness should be aimed at eliminating the underlying disease. IN in this case the prognosis depends on the course of the underlying disease. Vitamins are also indicated for night blindness.