Nyctalopia
[nik-tə-LOH-pee-ə]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Greek, 17th century,
1.
The inability to see in dim light or at night. Also called night blindness
Examples of Nyctalopia in a sentence
"I wanted to arrive home before dusk since my nyctalopia makes it difficult to drive at night."
"Shari turned the living room lights on in the afternoon in anticipation of her nyctalopia."
About Nyctalopia
The Latin term “nyctalopia” (for “night blindness”) is based on the 6th century Byzantine Greek term “νυκταλωπία,” meaning “night blindness.” It was first adopted in French in 1666 as “nyctalopie,” from which it was adopted in English in the late 17th century.
Did you Know?
Nyctalopia describes difficulty seeing in low-light conditions, meaning nyctalopia subjects find it hard to navigate outdoors at night or indoors with low lighting. However, many also find it challenging to negotiate shifts between light and dark, such as leaving a well-lit house and adjusting to the darkness of night. While people with healthy eyes can adjust to such shifts quickly, those with nyctalopia take much longer to adapt to darkness.
