To ask if anyone else's eye gets 'stuck' when you turn out the light?

[Summerfreeze]

Ever since I was a child, something weird has happened with one of my eyes. If you turn off the light, sometimes it's like my left eye can't adjust. It feels 'blind' and sort of stuck and is a really horrible feeling. Best I can describe is it's like someone is holding their hand really close to my eye! Even if I close it, it still feels very uncomfortable. I have to put the light on (and it immediately feels fixed) and then try again. Only happens with my left eye.

I've asked doctors and opticians about it and my eye health is fine and they have shone lights in my eyes and that all seems to be fine so I'm turning to Mumsnet instead. What is this please?!? Or if one person at least says 'Oh yeah I get that too, no idea why but it's weird' I will feel better.

I have exactly that. Like I'm blind in one eye in very low light. Have also had tests etc with nothing specifically wrong found. It doesn't seem to have got worse over the years but I've had it as long as I can remember.

I also have a similar sensation. I notice it every night when I put my kids to bed - as soon as I turn the lights out I feel almost blind. I often lay with my kids until they go to sleep and do silly experiments to pass the time, like waving my hand in front of my face and wiggling my fingers in my peripheral vision to see if I can see them. On one occasion it felt like I was completely blind for about 2 minutes and it really freaked me out.

My daytime vision is almost 20/20. I had it checked recently. I'm early 40's and don't recall this sensation in my younger days!

Ooh I have this occasionally. I wear glasses though and just thought it was my "night vision" getting worse as I got older (I'm only late 30s though)

Weirdly glad it's not just me!

I'm nearsighted but haven't been the whole time and this has always been a thing. It's an uncomfortable feeling. There must be a reason for it - I wonder what it is?!

I can 'fix' it by putting the light on - the feeling goes instantly. And then sometimes if I try putting the light off again it'll be ok the next time. Happens especially in sudden changes from light to dark.

Mine do this if I'm on my phone without my glasses on, because I close one eye to see better and then it takes longer to adapt to the light being off

Yeah get this too but my eye sight is very bad and my eyes are very different strenghts. So I just thought it was my bad eye not registering light as much as the better one.

I get it too sometimes. I think it's the pupil not dilating fast enough.

I have this, my optician called it ‘night blindness’ (not official name) and said something along the lines of it being connected to your eyes ability to bounce light/image. It helps if I close my eyes while turning the light off and give myself time to adjust slowly by dimming beforehand.
When did you last have an eye test? It may be worth having them rechecked so if there are any issues they can catch it early.

I had this once and googled it. It's called night blindness

I remember lying there thinking I've actually gone blind

Ooh that's interesting. I'm going to google night blindness. I actually find it hard to see at night-time in general and try to avoid driving as I find the glare really problematic. I have fairly regular eye tests so not due one yet, so no problem there. I feel like it's something to do with the pupil not dilating. It feels like something has 'stuck' in my eye when it happens. And like a shutter has come over.

You can by tinted glasses for night driving. They are a sickly yellow shade. Dh drives all night and says they are fab. (Spec savers).
Might help?

It's interesting that it's only your left eye though op.

I hope someone comes along with good advice, especially as it's an uncomfortable sensation.

I've had it happen 3-4 times over the last 7 years. It was very strange when it happened but went away after about 5-10 mins.

Does it only happen in bed? There are several strange things that can happen as you are starting to fall asleep and I get a few random ones getting into bed from time to time.

@Summerfreeze I know thus post is old but I also have the same thing with my left eye, just as you describe it. I've had detailed eye exams, nothing found, but it bothers me alot. Did you get to the bottom of this? Does anyone else have this problem.

I'm short sighted and my left eye is worse, which is the one that also struggles to adjust to the dark. Could it be that? I think I also have mild astigmatism of my left eye.

Anyone?