Night blindness (or nyctalopia) doesn’t mean a person becomes completely blind at night. This condition, which is more often seen in seniors than younger individuals, refers to the inability to see well in poorly lit areas and a slower-than-normal adjustment to when lighting situations change, especially going from bright light to low light. Let’s examine the causes of night blindness and how personal care services can help seniors as they age in place.
What Causes Night Blindness?
This is one of many health conditions that people just assume are normal to struggle with as you age. And in some ways, it’s true. Because many of the main causes of night blindness are also more common in the elderly, it becomes more common for the elderly to become night blind and struggle in low-light areas.
- Macular Degeneration. This disease is often linked to those who are older and affects the part of the eye’s lens responsible for central vision.
- Glaucoma. This disease affects and damages the eye’s optic nerve due to fluid buildup.
- Cataracts. Cataracts are cloudy areas that appear on the lens of the eye, making it difficult for light to enter.
- Nearsightedness.
- Vitamin A deficiency (not common in the US except for those who have had gastric bypass surgery and do not get enough Vitamin A anymore).
- LASIK or refractive surgery can sometimes lead to night blindness.
How to Tell if Your Elderly Loved One is Struggling with Night Blindness
Of course, the simple way to find out is to simply ask your loved one if he’s struggling with seeing at night. Unfortunately, some seniors don’t like to disclose this information because of the fear of losing some of their independence or admitting that they need help in some areas.
Personal care and family caregivers can watch for certain behaviors to see if your loved one is struggling more than normal in low-light situations.
- He can’t read or see an image if the light is low. Does he struggle to read a menu in a low-lit restaurant or see what seat number is on his ticket at a movie theater? If he can otherwise read these types of small print in regular light but not in low light, he might have night blindness.
- He struggles to adjust to a room with low light after coming in from bright light (such as stepping into a movie theater or a dark home after being outside). It’s normal for everyone to need a minute or two for their eyes to adjust, but someone with night blindness may find it impossible to adjust, or it takes significantly longer.
- He is uncomfortable driving at night because the other car’s headlights temporarily blind him, making it too hard to see the rest of the road. He might complain that everyone is driving with their brights on when they are just regular headlights.
- He says he can’t see the stars in the sky when you point them out.
Personal Care Services for Night Blindness
Some night blindness causes can be fixed with surgery or other eye treatments. Have your loved one examined to determine what is causing their struggles to see at night.
In the meantime, consider having someone like a personal care provider help him navigate low-light situations like driving at night or going for a walk in the early evening. A personal care provider can help your loved one safely navigate the world around him when the lights are low.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Personal Care in West Haven, CT, please contact the caring staff at Talem Home Care & Placement Services of New Haven, CT, today. Call (203) 538-6273
At Talem Home Care & Placement Services of Fort Hartford CT, we provide passionate, understanding, and flexible caregivers in New Haven, Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Cheshire, Derby, Milford, Naugatuck, Orange, Prospect, Seymour, Shelton, Stratford, Trumbull, West Haven, Woodbridge, and Woodmont and surrounding areas in Connecticut.
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