Nyctalopia

Little old ladies tend not to drive at night. Perhaps the elderly
don't have the most cracking night lives, but the reason they would
probably give you is that they are night blind.
When your mother told you to eat your carrots so you would have good
eyesight she was right. According to the website.healthvitaminsguide.com,
night blindness is caused by a lack of Vitamin A, and is due to
problems in dark adaption. When headlights blind you and you really
can't see after they pass, it may be time to check your vitamin A
intake.

Nyctalopia is the official term for night blindness. This is the
inability to adapt to dark lighting conditions. According to the
healthvitaminsguide website, "The retina is supplied with a chemical
called rhodopsin or visual purple. Light falling on the retina brings
about chemical changes in the rhodopsin and other substances in the
rods and cones. However large amounts of Vitamin A are needed to bring
about those changes. If there is a lack of vitamin A night blindness
can be the result. Other causes of night blindness include; Cataracts,
retinal degeneration such as retinitis pigmentosa, trouble adjusting
from low to high levels of light, certain medications, and  birth
defects".
Yellow lenses can help with this problem, and your optician can advise
you of the best solution. How do you get enough Vitamin A? Since we
can't produce it in our bodies it  must be part of our diets. Found in
green plants, and bright colourful vegetables such as carrots and
tomatoes, carotenes are changed into Vitamin A in the liver.
Another nice big word xerophthalmia, meaning dryness of the cornea can
also be a symptom of a lack of Vitamin A. Alarmingly according to
Www.healthome.co.za a chronic deficiency can eventually lead to
permanent blindness.
And that is the reason to eat your carrots, and keep a good balanced
diet. The joys of driving at night will be yours with a high intake of
Vitamin A and perhaps a bit of kindness to your liver.