Night Vision Training

How to See in the Dark Without NVGs

Night vision is a skill that can be trained and utilized, even without night vision devices (NVDs). For airsoft, especially in milsim games, nighttime scenarios, and security operations, understanding the principles of vision in the dark provides a significant advantage.

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Quick Adaptation to Darkness

Before entering a dark room, it is recommended to close your eyes for 10–20 seconds — this allows for initial adaptation to the darkness.
If you cannot fully close your eyes, squint your dominant eye.

This simple technique helps maintain the adaptation of at least one eye, allowing you to orient yourself immediately in the dark upon entry.

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How Human Night Vision Works

The retina of the eye consists of two types of light-sensitive receptors:

• Cones — responsible for daytime vision and color perception (about 7 million).
• Rods — responsible for night vision and sensitivity to low light (about 130 million).

Cones function under bright lighting, while rods are active in darkness.
The process of increased sensitivity of rods is known as dark adaptation.

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Dark Adaptation: Key Points to Know

• Adaptation begins immediately upon entering the dark.
• The main increase in sensitivity occurs during the first 15–30 minutes.
• Full stabilization is achieved after 60–80 minutes.

⚠️ This means that a person who exits a brightly lit room into the darkness remains limited in combat effectiveness regarding observation for up to an hour.

Experience shows that these moments (shift changes, post rotations) are when attacks most often occur.

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Why It's Important Not to Look "Directly"

Cones and rods are distributed across the retina unevenly:

• cones — in the center of the visual field;
• rods — in the periphery.

Practical Conclusion

To detect faintly visible objects in the dark:

• Do not look directly at the target;
• use your peripheral vision.

Often, an object is better "caught" with a side glance than a direct one.

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Light Color and Night Vision

The eye, adapted to the dark:

• is most sensitive to the blue spectrum;
• is least sensitive to red light.

What This Means Practically

• Blue light is easily noticeable, but blinds and disrupts adaptation.
• Red light minimally disrupts night vision.

This is why:

• maps, compasses, and notes are illuminated with dim red light;
• red glasses and red emergency lighting have been used in military practice.

⚠️ Historical fact: the use of blue light for light camouflage (Paris, London, 1939) helped the enemy detect targets and blinded their own air defense crews.

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De-adaptation: How to Blind Yourself Easily in the Dark

If an eye adapted to the dark is exposed to light for just 5 seconds, its sensitivity decreases:

• for 8–10 minutes;
• decreasing the range and timeliness of target detection.

Practical Conclusion

• do not look at flashlights, headlights, flares, or fires;
• in partially illuminated areas, you are effectively "blind" in the dark next to them.

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Physiological Stimulators for Night Vision

Research conducted for military needs has shown that certain stimuli can sharply accelerate adaptation and enhance night vision sensitivity.

Effective Stimulators

• Forced Breathing
  (sharp, deep breathing starting from a full exhale)
• Cold
  (rubbing the face with cold water, using a cold compress on the neck)
• Taste
  (a small amount of sugar or a sweet-and-sour tablet)
• Light Physical Activity
  (simple gymnastic exercises)

Effects

• increase in vision and hearing sensitivity by 40–50%;
• reduction of adaptation time from 40–50 minutes to 4–5 minutes;
• effects last 1–3 hours.

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Psychological Factor

It has also been found that:

• mindset,
• concentration,
• emotional-volitional effort

can increase night vision sensitivity by 400–800% compared to the baseline level.

Positive stimuli (taste, music) enhance vision, while negative stimuli decrease it.

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Practical Tips for Airsoft

• Night vision sharpens while sitting (confirmed by practice).
• Never look directly at a light source.
• Observe the periphery of the illuminated area, rather than the source.
• You can use "holes" in an opaque object for观察, closing one eye.
• Illuminate your map and compass with dim red light, shielding the source.
• Use one eye, keeping the other closed.
• Before entering from light into darkness, close one eye for 20–30 seconds.

⚠️ This simple technique has saved more than one scout — and remains relevant for airsoft today.

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Conclusion

Understanding the principles of night vision allows you to:

• significantly reduce adaptation time to darkness;
• enhance eye sensitivity;
• maintain night vision for an extended period;
• effectively observe without NVGs.

This is especially important for facility protection, patrolling, and during nighttime phases of milsim games.

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Based on research materials
A. Karayani, Candidate of Psychological Sciences

Common Mistakes of Newbies at Night

Night games in airsoft penalize even the smallest errors. Most problems arise not from the lack of NVGs, but from incorrect actions.

Most Common Mistakes

• Looking directly at the light source
  Flashlights, tracers, flares, headlights, and spotlight — all of these instantly "kill" night vision. Even a brief glance disrupts adaptation for 5–10 minutes.

• Constant use of white light
  White light:

  • completely robs you of your night vision;
  • reveals your position;
  • blinds your teammates.

• Using both eyes simultaneously
  Newbies rarely use the technique of "one eye closed." As a result — total loss of adaptation with any light exposure.

• Illuminating the map/equipment without camouflage
  Even weak light without cover can be seen from dozens of meters away.

• Abruptly leaving a lit area into darkness
  Without prior eye preparation, you become almost blind.

• Frequent transitions between lit and dark areas
  This leads to constant de-adaptation and reduced observation effectiveness.

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Night Games and NVGs

How Not to Blind Yourself and Your Team

Night vision devices do not negate the rules of night vision, but require even greater discipline.

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Basic Rules for Using NVGs

• Never turn on white light near a soldier using NVGs
  This:

  • temporarily blinds the device;
  • can damage the image intensifier;
  • puts the soldier out of action for several seconds or minutes.

• Do not shine in the face or viewing sector
  Even IR illumination can:

  • blind the device;
  • expose the group to enemies with NVGs.

• Minimize the use of IR illumination
  IR lighting is:

  • a "flashlight" for everyone with NVGs;
  • a revealing factor during patrolling.

Use it only when necessary.

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Light Discipline in the Group

• Assign:

  • who uses NVGs;
  • who has the right to illuminate;
  • under what circumstances light is permitted.

• Use:

  • dim red light;
  • screened flashlights;
  • illumination only while under cover.

• Before turning on any light:

  • ensure there are no troops with NVGs nearby;
  • warn the team by voice or gesture.

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NVGs and Shooting

• Tracers at night are a double-edged sword:

  • they help correct fire;
  • they instantly expose your position.

• When using NVGs:

  • single fire is preferred;
  • avoid "spamming" with tracers.

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Combining NVGs and Regular Vision

Even with NVGs, it's beneficial to:

• maintain the adaptation of one eye;
• be able to operate without the device (NVGs can fail);
• not rely solely on technology.

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Conclusion for Night Games

At night, victory does not go to those with:

• the brightest flashlight;
• the most powerful NVGs.

But to those who:

• follow light discipline;
• understand the physiology of vision;
• do not hinder their team;
• can see in the dark without technology.

Night favors the calm and careful.