What Causes Night Vision Problems?

Many different factors can make it more difficult for you to see at night. Because of the wide variety of causes, Sacramento eye doctor Stephen Wilmarth, M.D., will perform a full eye exam to assess your night vision issues and determine the cause.

To arrive at a diagnosis, some of the night vision symptoms Dr. Wilmarth might ask you about include:

• Blurry vision

• Increased glare from light sources, making activities like nighttime driving especially difficult

• Halo or starburst shapes forming around light sources

• Difficulty adjusting from a well-lit space to a darker one

One of the common causes of nocturnal vision difficulty is the development of cataracts, foggy areas that can develop within the lens of your eye with age. In fact, night vision problems are one of the earliest cataract symptoms.

However, cataracts aren’t the only issue that can make seeing at night more difficult. Dr. Wilmarth will also examine your eyes and overall health for issues like:

• Nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism

• Diabetic eye disease

• Macular degeneration.

After undergoing LASIK surgery, some patients report night vision difficulties like haziness, appearance of more than one image around a single object (sometimes called ghosting) and glare around light sources. These common side effects of LASIK are temporary and common. Dr. Wilmarth will conduct follow up visits to make sure your eyes are healing properly after laser eye surgery.

Dr. Wilmarth will conduct a full examination to determine the cause of your night vision problems. After a series of assessments, he can diagnose and discuss treatment options to restore your vision.

To learn more about how Dr. Wilmarth can help you adjust your vision for the better, please contact Wilmarth Eye and Laser Center or call 916-850-3060 today to schedule an appointment.

Serving patients for over 20 years in Roseville, Rocklin, Folsom and the Greater Sacramento area.