The Latin term “nyctalopia” (for “night blindness”) is based on the ancient Greek term “νυκταλωπία,” meaning “night blindness.” It was first adopted in French in 1666 as “nyctalopie,” then came into English in the late 17th century. 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.