Do You Need Glasses for Night Driving?

You probably already know if you have a tough time driving at night, but what you might not know is the severity of your night blindness. The vision strain from driving at night can cause your current vision issues or eye problems to worsen. Night blindness, or nyctalopia, is caused by an issue with the retina. The retina is the part of the eye that allows you to see in low light. When the retina becomes damaged, dark pigment collects in the retina and creates tunnel-like vision. This can make seeing and especially driving in the dark difficult.

Here are three questions to ask yourself to determine whether or not you might need glasses while driving at night: 

1) Do you experience blurred vision when driving at night? 

Do the headlights of oncoming traffic appear blurry, or do you have difficulty seeing the street signs? This could be a result of a dirty windshield, but it might also be a sign of cataracts. You can reduce this blur by doing a few things:

  • Clean your windshields often, including the rear-view mirror and wiper blades.
  • Clean your headlights. This increases the amount of light being emitted by half.
  • Ask your eye doctor about antiglare coatings for night driving glasses.
  • Schedule an eye exam with your eye doctor to check for cataracts or other vision-related issues. 

2) Do you experience eye fatigue when driving at night?

Driving at night forces the eyes to work much harder than in the day. There are plenty of reasons for this. For example, the pupil shrinks during the nighttime. This allows less light to enter the eye compared to the amount let in during the daytime. Another reason is while driving at night, your eyes are adjusting back and forth from light to dark. This can be caused by the shining of headlights from oncoming traffic and then having to adjust back to the dark roads. 

This is impossible to avoid, but there are some things you can do to reduce the strain and eye fatigue.

  • Avoid looking straight into headlights of oncoming traffic.
  • Don’t focus on one object for an extended period.
  • Give your eyes a break. Plan reoccurring stops especially during a road trip.

3) Do you have “backseat drivers” correcting your driving at night? 

If you find that your friends are correcting your driving skills when driving at night, it is probably time to consider scheduling an appointment with your eye doctor. Even the small adjustment of adding driving glasses can improve and protect your vision. 

Visit Your Eye Doctor to Talk About Options to Improve Night Vision

If you are concerned about night blindness or wonder if you could benefit from wearing glasses when driving at night, schedule an appointment with an eye doctor using the VSP® find a doctor tool. If you don’t have vision insurance to help you save on your eye exam, consider the benefits of a VSP Individual Vision Plan. With a vision plan from VSP, you can enroll in a new vision insurance plan at almost any time and start using your vision insurance the same day.
 
Information received through VSP Individual Vision Plans’ social media channels is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, medical recommendations, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. 

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