Illuminated reticle

I understand the purpose of a reticle in a finder scope, but reticles are easy enough to see, and illuminating the reticle would seem to obscure faint objects, and not be good for night vision. What's the intended purpose of an
illuminated reticle, and do they get the job done better than a regular reticle?

David

David, if you're in a REALLY dark place, and perhaps looking in a relatively star-poor region, sometimes the reticle, especially a fine one, can be a little tough to see. Illumination helps.

Jim Mahon