How to Enhance Your Night Vision

What Produces Night Vision?

Night vision is an important part of eyesight. Loss of night vision is caused by illness and age. The retina, a thin layer of tissue in the inner eye that consists of blood vessels and photoreceptors, converts light into electrical impulses. These photoreceptors, approximately 120 million rods and 7 million cones, receive light.

The cones are primarily for central vision, and do not work well at night, so the onus is on the rods to receive light in the dark. The rods are also responsible for peripheral vision. Eye illnesses, such as retinitis pigmentosa reduce the amount of rods within the retinas, narrowing the peripheral and circumference vision of the eye, causing tunnel vision.

In perspective, a loss of night vision impedes your quality of life. It can render you solely confined to daily activities, because of a lack of sight and confidence. We want to boost your confidence with these three daily eye-strengthening practices: periphery exercise, palming, and healthy nutrition.

Periphery Practice

The photoreceptor rods focus on movement in the periphery, and they have low light sensitivity. To strengthen the amount of light these rods let in, first strengthen the rods. A great way to do this is to focus your rods on peripheral vision. The following exercise is a unique and proven way to strengthen your peripheral vision.

1. First, block your central vision with one hand, or with a piece of parchment. It is preferable that you tape a piece of paper to your nose, so that both arms are free to move.
2. Next, focus on the objects on either side of you.
3. After you discern the objects, point your arms out on the sides of your body. Repeatedly extend them to their limits and pull them back toward the sides of your face. As you do this, focus your periphery vision on your hands.

This exercise will get your eyes familiar with the objects around its periphery, and activate the rods that were previously unused. Consider the exercise the equivalent of pointing out the fly on the black painted wall. Now that you see it, you will notice it more distinctly because your eyes are used to it. The more you allow your eyes to notice the objects in its periphery, the stronger your rods will become, and your night vision will improve.

Palming Practice

The second practice in this artillery is palming. Palming is a simple eye exercise with huge results. The optic nerve transmits images and electric impulses from the retina to the brain. Often the work of the optic nerve can be strained from overwork. Palming relaxes the optic nerve to release the strain. The steps for palming are below:

1. Clear your face, and make sure there is nothing obstructing your eyes such as glasses or contacts.
2. Warm your hands with something; preferably warm water.
3. Make sure the area you are in is extremely dark.
4. Position your elbows, perpendicular from your chest, straight out, onto a table, or on an elevated surface that allows you to rest your arms in a complete right angle toward your face.
5. Cup your four fingers (pinky to index) together on each hand, and bring the two hands together, with one over the other. Cross the hands (from pinky to index) with the inside of the hands facing you. Your two thumbs should be pointing outwards. After you do this, rest your palms on the orbits of your eyes, with your fingers rested on your forehead and thumbs on your temple.
6. Only rest your palms on your eyes to relax them, but do not apply pressure, or squeeze your eyes by any means.
7. Hold this position for a few minutes until you are satisfied with the relaxation of your optic nerve.

Now you have successfully stimulated your retina, and relaxed your optic nerve. The next practice will maintain your vision, while increasing its strength.

Nutrition Practice

It is common knowledge that Vitamin A rich foods have a heavy dose of carotenoids, specifically beta-carotene. Carotenoids are phytochemicals that give plant-based fruits and vegetables their color and composition. This is where the vibrant red, orange and yellow colors of carrots, pink grapefruit, and oranges come from. The human body converts beta-carotene into Vitamin A, also known as retinol, which produces the pigment in the retina of the eye. Vitamin A maintains good vision, especially in low light.

Eyesight is heavily dependent on Vitamin A. In several case studies, individuals with partial and full blindness have admitted to having a regular diet devoid of Vitamin A. When dealing with defects in night vision, it is imperative that your diet includes Vitamin A for eye strength, especially at night.

If practiced gradually over time, these practices will increase your night vision, and boost your overall confidence.