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How to Improve Night Vision

April 17, 2018 - Poor Night Vision

Hey folks, it’s Dr. Sam. I received a question on how to improve night vision how to see better in the dark.

Well this is a great question and I think it comes down to a few things in terms of our peripheral vision. When we start to lose the light in the environment our vision tends to collapse and follow the darkness. We lose our abilities to sustain our peripheral vision when it becomes dark out. And so for driving it’s really important to keep a focus centrally but also to engage and improve your peripheral vision.

So what can you do?

  1. Yin Yang Peripheral Vision Game: This is an open focus or a soft focus eye exercise that teaches you how to open your focus use both eyes together, including central and peripheral vision.
  2. I would also recommend throughout the day do your palming eye exercise. I think this is a great one for reducing eye muscle stress.
  3. I would also reduce the use of digital devices especially if you’re getting ready to drive at night.
  4. I would spend a little time in the dark before you start driving so that your retinas have a chance to adapt to the darker lighting.
  5. Antioxidants are also critically important for improving your eye health. Especially the vitamin A beta-carotene family and Bilberry.  Obviously, things like lutein and zeaxanthin, as well as getting enough healthy fats and essential trace minerals are also important.
  6. If you’re driving, you want to make sure to use a single vision lens. So don’t use your progressive bifocals because you’re not using the whole lens when you’re driving.
  7. Sometimes I’ve prescribed red tints. This sometimes can give you better contrast for night vision. So check that out with your optician and see if that’s going to work for you.

But overall it’s really important that you get enough retinal circulation so that you can engage more of your visual field in the dark and balancing out the center vision with your peripheral vision. If you do those things you have a really good chance of improving your night vision and continually being able to drive at night and see in the dark.

So that’s my message for today I want to thank you so much for tuning in. And until next time take good care.