What is Night Blindness? - #7401

I’ve been having trouble seeing at night for quite some time now, and I’m really starting to worry about it. It’s like my vision gets a lot worse when the sun goes down, and driving at night has become increasingly difficult. I’m 42 years old and have always had pretty decent eyesight, so this sudden change has been a little concerning. When I’m out at night, I find it hard to make out shapes or even recognize people’s faces from a distance. I’ve also noticed that when I try to go out in low-light environments or on poorly lit streets, it feels like I’m squinting all the time, and it makes it much harder to navigate safely. I even bumped into a lamppost the other evening because I couldn’t see it until I was very close to it. I started thinking maybe I just needed new glasses, so I went to the eye doctor, and after an eye test, they said my prescription hadn’t changed much. That’s when the doctor mentioned something about what is night blindness and whether that could be the cause of my vision issues. At first, I wasn’t sure what it meant, but they explained it as difficulty seeing in low-light or at night, and it happens because of problems with the way the eyes adjust to dim lighting. The doctor said it could be caused by different factors, but they didn’t get into specifics during the appointment. Since that visit, I’ve been reading online about what is night blindness and what might be causing it. I learned that it could be related to things like vitamin A deficiency, retinitis pigmentosa, or other eye conditions. What I’m really wondering is, how do I know if I have night blindness? Is it just about the difficulty seeing at night, or are there other signs or symptoms I should be aware of? Is it common for people in their 40s to develop night blindness, or is this something that tends to happen to older adults or people with specific conditions? I’m particularly concerned about my age, and whether this could be a sign of something more serious, like a progressive eye disease. If it’s not night blindness, could it be something like cataracts or another issue that causes trouble seeing in dim light? I’ve heard people talk about having cataracts when they start to have blurry vision or difficulty seeing at night. Another thing that’s been on my mind is how night blindness is treated. Is there a way to improve it, or is it something that just gets worse over time? The doctor didn’t really suggest any treatments for night blindness specifically, and I’m wondering if I need to take extra steps. Should I be changing my diet to include more vitamin A-rich foods, or are there supplements I should be taking? I’ve heard a lot about how vitamin A can help with night vision, but I’m not sure if that’s something I should focus on. Finally, I’m curious if night blindness can be prevented or reversed. Since I don’t have a family history of eye disease or any other serious vision issues, I’m hoping this is just a temporary thing. Is it possible that improving my overall health or taking certain measures might help reverse the symptoms? And how long should I wait before seeing an eye specialist again if things don’t improve? Has anyone else had a similar experience with night blindness? What treatment did you try, and did it help? I just want to make sure I’m doing the right thing for my eyes before it gets worse.