Have you ever wanted to be able to see better in the dark? I have! I would love to be able to wake up in the middle of the night and walk to the bathroom without running into walls or tripping over things. The other day I was googling some information about night vision to see if there is anything that can help naturally improve night vision. I came across some cool tips and information that I thought I would share.
At night when there is very little light we rely on the peripheral vision of our eyes. Our peripheral vision contains rod cells that give us a grayscale view of things. As most people are aware, our night vision is not as good as our daytime vision that uses cones that allow us to see color. There really is no natural way to make our night vision as good as our day vision. However, there are a few things that we can do to improve it.
One thing that we can do is eat more vitamin A. This vitamin helps in the chemical process our eyes use during low light conditions. In World War II, fighter pilots who ate bilberries (a rich source of vitamin A) had better visual acuity. Bilberry can actually help to reduce eyestrain from computer glare and florescent lights. Some other foods that contain vitamin A are carrots, green leafy veggies, liver, dairy products, fish, and eggs. Vitamin supplements such as fish oils also contain vitamin A. Taking 10,000 IU of a beta-carotene source of vitamin A everyday can help in correcting night blindness. As with most dietary items, too much of a good thing can be bad for you so if in doubt always check with a doctor.
Another way to improve low light vision aka night vision is to stop wearing sunglasses. Wearing sunglasses reduces your light tolerance. Some sunlight is good for you and helps to stimulate retinal cells. Of course, you should never look directly at the sun as that could damage your eyes!
Sunning is the last tip to improve night vision that I will share. This is done by closing your eyes, turning your face to the sun, and tracing the outline of the light on the inside of your eyelids, you can increase your light tolerance and allow your eyes to learn to adapt to different light levels. Spending some time sunning can also improve your mood and well-being!
There are more ways to improve night vision that I didn’t mention but these were the ones that I enjoyed learning about the most. I hope you found them as interesting as I did!
Sources:
Dyer, A. E. (2009). 5 ways to improve night vision. LIVESTRONG.COM. Retrieved 11/07/2011 from http://www.livestrong.com/article/6577-improve-night-vision/
Janet Goodrich Method (2008). Improve your night vision by doing these simple activities. Retrieved 11/07/2011 from http://www.janetgoodrichmethod.com/2008/08/26/improve-your-night-vision-by-doing-these-simple-activities/
--By Kimberly Kolaga
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