I didn't realise how different night vision was for different people

[Whitetruck]

DP really can't see in the dark.

I can move around in the bedroom at night because it's rarely completely dark, alarm clock, street lights etc, but DP needs the light on or he walks into things, even when I can see him perfectly well.

Is it me or him that's unusual?

I’m sure there are differences. My husband zooms along dark roads at night and I can’t understand how he can see the lay of the road ahead. It’s terrifying!

I have perfect vision by day but have to drive extra slow at night.

Is he just not used to it? How’s his vision generally? Does he drive at night without problems?

I know what you mean, after a few minutes your eyes adjust. Maybe he didn’t wait to be able to see better?

I have n astigmatism in both eyes - look up what that looks like to me for night time driving. I’ve never known any different, but apparently for people who don’t have it they can’t understand how people with the condition see at night surrounded by lights

I'm a lifelong specs wearer and have always struggled to see in the dark. My husband could never understand it. Now he's approaching 50 and finding it more difficult himself.
He can drive fine in the dark though and doesn't get bothered with headlights. I can hardly see and get dazzled with headlights!

That's interesting because I have astigmatism too, or so my optician tells me.

I find it really hard driving at night because of the glare, but DH is fine and we have a very similar prescription.

He does need glasses, but he manages without them better than I manage without mine!

Ah interesting! I have astigmatism too.

How does it look for you? I thought lg what I saw was perfectly normal, until I was told it wasn’t. I can drive perfectly fine but I guess if you’re not used to yhd star bursts all over the shop it could look pretty chaotic

there is a name for this condition when your vision is much worse when it’s dark , I don’t remember.

By the way I think orientation at home is different. My vision is much worse when it’s dark but I perfectly cope at home and can walk around the house in the dark even when the curtains are fully drawn. I know where things are.

My DH is fine with driving in the dark, but like yours @Whitetruck he needs a torch to find his way to the bathroom in the night! 😆 I can walk around in the dark indoors AND outdoors. Even with no lights outside, (I live rural so it's very dark most of the time,) I can see OK once my eyes adjust.

I guess people eyes are different.

I can see in the dark with one eye but not with the other

I get really dazzled by lights at night. I can see much better without them!

I have terrible vision in low light and in the dark. It’s actually quite distressing at times. DH never has a problem

I can walk around the house at night with no lights on perfectly fine (brilliant for the multiple loo runs whilst still half asleep) but I cannot drive at night due to the glare from car headlights. My eyes don't adjust back immediately and it's that bit that makes it dangerous so I don't go out (which means no fish n chips suppers! 😩)

Has he had his eyes checked for cataracts

DP's spatial awareness and proprioception is dubious at the best of times - he can't manage in the dark at all.

I'm absolutely fine in the dark, no glasses, no need for them, just the feel of the ground, the changes in texture, temperature, airflow and sound tell me where I am. I'm not 'seeing' in the dark as much as sensing my way around, but if I were to actually look, I can definitely see more than he can, as I think the street lights, moonlight and suchlike are more than enough.

I have crap night vision too (astigmatism and wear varifocals).
Luckily I don't drive....unluckily I work nights! I'm a nurse and when all the lights are off I really struggle to use the computer as I can't see the keyboard properly.

Light eyes see better in the dark

The back of the eye is full of sight receptors called rods and cones. Rods detect light and shade, while cones detect colour. Night blindness is caused by lack of rods, so when there's no colour - only shades of grey / shadows - people with night blindness really struggle.

Could be caused by lack of Vitamin A.

I've always seen really well in the dark. Apparently my dad did too. We both have striking green eyes.

Before I regularly wore eye masks, I couldn't even have a standby light showing in the bedroom because it would illuminate the entire room for me.

Lousy vision day and night here... (I wear contacts/glasses in the day)
I'm late 50s and my night vision has got progressively worse and I hate night driving...plus severe astigmatism makes it torture, especially now so many cars have the 'BLIND YOU' lights!

Cataracts cause poor night vision too. After I had bilateral cataracts removed my night vision improved so much.