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Night Vision & Age


pbbeck

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Since I'm 39 years old (turning 40 in January), I'm a nubile spring chicken around here. Lately though, I've noticed a significant change in my ability to see clearly at night. Living in Long Beach, CA, I'm never more than 10 feet from a streetlight, but this weekend it's been especially noticeable as I am driving around outside of Boston where there are no streetlights. Driving at night in the dark has never really bothered me before and I'm wondering if some of the geezers here can tell me if this is part of that "turning 40 thing."

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...the sunglasses need to come off at night and all will be fine.

 

But then how will I look cool? Besides, my sunglasses enhance contrast to I can see my text messages more easily!

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Here's some information you may find useful.

 

What you're experiencing is most likely just the onset of the night vision problems that most folks encounter as they approach their forties. Your eyes' photochemical light-processing mechanisms lose a bit of their ability to process light, and presbyopia can affect your eyesight in low-light conditions.

 

Your night vision does diminish by a fair amount after your twenties (sucks, eh?), though it's generally a gradual thing. If it's simply age-related, you can often achieve a great deal of relief with glasses or contact lenses of the proper prescription.

 

However, while you're likely just experiencing a natural, age-related decrease in night vision, I'd seriously suggest seeing an ophthalmologist sooner rather than later. Sometimes these things are caused by something very correctable, like a vitamin A deficiency. However, there's also the chance, albeit remote, that you have a more serious problem, like glaucoma. Truly, you don't want to take a chance, particularly since many of the more serious problems can be treated and the effects reversed with early diagnosis and treatment.

 

Get to an ophthalmologist. He or she will know the protocol, but tell the doc what you're experiencing and let him or her determine which tests are appropriate. At a minimum, you'll be tested for glaucoma, the doc will check your retinas and the condition of your cornea, and he or she should check to see if you need any corrective lenses (or a change to your existing prescription). Please, don't wait to do this.

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Yes, I'm a wee bit older than you (53) but it does seem that the old night vision goes as well. I notice that things are not quite so clear at night, especially when it is raining. Go to the eye doctor it will do us all some good. Just in case I'm ever up your way and meet you driving at night. We would all appreciate that.

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My night vision starting fading as I hit 40 and seems to get a little worse each year. I have 20/20 by day, and not enough by night. I wear glasses at night to help, but quite frankly they seem to make it worse as the perhiperal vision is blurry, straight ahead is good and it is just annoying. On well lit freeways I have no issue.

 

My opthomologist explained it as... as you get older your rods and cones don't adjust as fast. I don't think mine adjust at all now.

 

Altitude makes it worse. The airmans information manual recommens oxygen above 4000 ft at night as your vision will be impaired.

 

There are few more things you can look forward to as you break your 40's and beyond....

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I'm 55 and don't see well at night. I just avoid going out at night. Somehow I managed to retire from a graveyard shift a few years ago.

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Yes your night vision will wane with age. On the upside, if you dim the lights before checking the full length mirror outside the shower you'll still look young. :dopeslap:

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yep, like the others here, I don't do well at night anymore. I'm 49 and like you said it started around 40. Now after an SUV comes around a corner with their high beams on, burning out my retinas, it takes longer for my eyes to recover.

But it's also a matter of being more sensible too. I don't care how many, or what kind of lights you have, you can't see nearly as much as in daytime. Especially you peripheral vision. At night you're almost always going to be riding "over" your field of vision. As Clint Eastwood put it; "Do you feel lucky punk? Well do you?" I know I don't!

But don't worry, life goes on. There's plenty of time during daylight hours to ride.

 

Good luck,

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Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like what I'm experiencing is typical. It just seemed to sneak up on me this weekend.W

 

Regarding aging, what's next? Dinner at Denny's at 4:30? :-)

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Regarding aging, what's next? Dinner at Denny's at 4:30? :-)

 

Watch it, punk.

 

Actually that's a painfully accurate observation. After my folks retired, they bought a very nice condo in Vero Beach, FL. The first time we visited them, we strolled over to the nearest restaurant for dinner around 6:30. The place was dead . . . we were the only patrons in the whole restaurant, since the locals were long gone, having come in for the "early bird specials."

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I remember reading that your night vision is best in your early 20's and it's a long slow decline from there. My dad is 67 and avoids driving at night when possible. His depth perception and overall night vision is terrible.

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I remember reading that your night vision is best in your early 20's and it's a long slow decline from there. My dad is 67 and avoids driving at night when possible. His depth perception and overall night vision is terrible.

My father-in-law is still driving at 87, and I don't even want to think about his depth perception and overall night vision. Forty is probably too early to start having artifacts from cataracts, but at my last checkup (last year) I was warned that I had "perfectly normal" early stage cataracts. The main symptom is halos around point light sources at night. Another thing you youngsters have to look forward to. I'm going to wait until I qualify for Medicare before getting them done.

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Regarding aging, what's next? Dinner at Denny's at 4:30? :-)

 

Huh? What was the question again?

 

Oh, and you'll have to type that a little louder. I'm having trouble hearing you.

 

'Scuse me, gotta go pee.

 

Anybody seen my tube of Bengay?

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If you haven't had your eyes checked in the past 12 months, it's a good idea to do so. Please? Hugs, Mom

 

My night vision didin't start showing any weakness until about a year or two ago at 53. It's a PITA, but they'll have cheaper and lighter night vision goggles available real soon. By the time I'm in my 80's (I hope) I expect to be bionic.

 

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Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like what I'm experiencing is typical. It just seemed to sneak up on me this weekend.W

 

Regarding aging, what's next? Dinner at Denny's at 4:30? :-)

The easy to chew, meatloaf and mashed potato meal is on the 55 and over senior discount menu at Denny's.

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