Essential Night Driving Tips From Optometrists

Several factors can make it difficult to see well while driving at night. Your age, existing eye conditions or other environmental factors (which can contribute to dry eye) can affect your vision and make night driving challenging.

To give you a better understanding of why night vision occurs, your trusted optician at Downtown Eyes shares more information below. We also discuss some tips on how you can conquer night vision and ensure your safety while driving at night.

Conditions That Cause Difficulty in Seeing Well at Night

Reduced vision in low light is especially common in older people. For some adults, they may need twice as much light when they reach their 50s to see as well as they did when they were in their 30s. Moreover, diseases like cataracts and macular degeneration — which become more common as people age — can also be a factor that makes it harder to see at night.

Below are some of the conditions that can affect your vision and your driving at night:

• Nyctalopia – Also called night blindness, this condition does not necessarily mean that you are totally blind at night. But it may give you a harder time seeing when there is low light.
• Glaucoma – This condition reduces peripheral vision, so it can also make it harder for you to see at night. It occurs when there is fluid buildup in the eye that causes damage to the optic nerve.

  Essential Night Driving Tips From Optometrists

• Cataracts – These cause the lens of your eye to be cloudy. The condition can make it harder to see both during the day and night.
• Myopia – Also known as nearsightedness, this condition makes it difficult to see things that are far away as well as those in low-light conditions.
• Vitamin A deficiency – This condition can cause night blindness. But if diagnosed early, the symptoms can be reversed.
• Retinitis pigmentosa – This is a genetic disorder that causes the cells in the retina to degrade. It reduces night vision and peripheral vision.

Night Driving Glasses: Can They Actually Help?

Night driving glasses are a special type of glasses that may help you see better while driving at night. They are usually made with a yellow tint, polarized lenses and anti-reflective coating. Generally, night driving glasses do not need prescription. However, it’s still best to consult your eye doctor since they may not recommend these glasses for you.

According to some opinions by experts, night driving glasses may not always be helpful due to the yellow tint of the lenses. These yellow lenses may allow less light to reach your eye, preventing you from seeing clearly at night while driving.

Furthermore, night driving glasses may actually be more useful during the day since they can filter out blue light and create greater contrast in daylight conditions. In fact, these glasses were originally intended for the use of hunters to help them see birds against the sky more easily during daytime.

The Importance of Regular Eye Checkups

It is highly recommended to visit your doctor for an eye exam at least once every two years. But if you have an eye condition that needs to be monitored or if you are experiencing trouble with your eyes or vision, your doctor may need to see you more frequently. Consider the eye conditions mentioned above. Are you experiencing any of their symptoms or do you have a risk of developing those conditions? If you are unsure, it’s best to talk to your eye specialist so that you can get personalized recommendations.

Keep in mind that a clear vision is important for nighttime driving. So if you notice vision problems while driving at night, make sure to see your doctor immediately. You may need to take specialized testing to find out if anything is wrong with your eyes or to identify ways to improve your condition.

Tips on Seeing Better at Night

Follow these simple reminders to help you see better at night:

• Look away from any oncoming vehicle. Never look directly at it regardless of the type of headlight that it has. If the headlights of an oncoming vehicle seem too bright or the driver does not dim their high beams, just try not to look directly at the car’s lights while easing off the gas and maintaining your position in your lane. Stay this way until the offending vehicle passes.
• Make sure your windshield is always clean, inside and outside. Dirt, streaks or fog on the windshield can cause glare and reduce your visibility. Check your windshield wipers regularly, and replace them as necessary.

• Keep your headlight coverings and lenses well-maintained. Dirt, snow or ice on the headlights can reduce their brightness and range.
• Adjust your headlights and ensure that they are properly positioned, aimed and aligned. Use high beams only when appropriate. Make sure to turn off inside lights and dim your dashboard lights to a level that will allow you to still see them. This way, you can reduce the glare from lights that you are not looking at.
• If you need to replace your headlamps and auxiliary lights, make sure to purchase replacement components that are approved by your vehicle’s manufacturer. Also, take note that some aftermarket lights may be illegal in some states, so be careful in buying your replacement lights.
• If you are wearing prescription glasses, make sure to choose lenses with anti-reflection coating in order to minimize reflections from your dashboard lights, street lights and lights from other vehicles on the road.
• Avoid wearing sunglasses or other colored lenses. Even though the environment may seem brighter with amber, yellow or other such lenses, all tinted lenses actually block light. That said, these lenses can make it difficult for you to identify traffic signals and signs.
• Don’t forget to blink. Sometimes increased concentration while driving can cause you to reduce your blink rate, which could then lead to or exacerbate dry eye symptoms.
• Ensure that the dashboard air vents are aimed away from your face and eyes so as to avoid excessive drying of the eyes.
• If you are wearing contact lenses or you have dry eye symptoms, use lubricating eye drops before getting behind the wheel.

 

• Keep your eyes healthy by eating lutein- and zeaxanthin-rich foods such as spinach, kale and collard greens.
• If you are experiencing glare, halos and reduced ability to see dimly lit or low-contrast objects, schedule an eye exam immediately. These symptoms could be early signs of cataracts, complications of contact lens wear, or other eye conditions.

Remember that these are just general tips to help ensure your safety while on the road. For more specific treatments or safety measures for certain eye conditions, it’s best to visit your eye doctor for an assessment. This way, they can thoroughly discuss your risks and provide specific advice on how you can see clearly while driving at night.

Set Your Appointment Today!

Downtown Eyes is a reputable provider of quality eye care services and eyewear products. Our doctors are trained and experienced in performing eye examination, contact lens fittings, LASIK surgery co-management, and treatment of various eye diseases including dry eye, glaucoma and cataracts. Call us at (612) 333-EYES (3937) or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment. We serve customers in Minneapolis and the surrounding areas.