For many people, driving at night can be difficult. This difficulty is often due to weak night vision. Whether this has been an issue for your entire life or if you find night driving harder as you age, it is important that you feel comfortable behind the wheel for everyone's safety. Here are some things you need to know about your vision and driving at night:
Why Is Night Driving More Difficult?
Typically, the roadways are the same during the day as they are at night, but they can be more difficult to navigate once the sun goes down. You have to contend with the glare of headlights coming towards you, and curves are harder to anticipate. You also have to look out for animals that may jump into your path. Your eyes may also have difficulty adjusting from day to night, particularly at dusk or just after the sun sets.
Does Driving at Night Get Harder as You Age?
For many people, driving at night gets increasingly more difficult as you age. This is because your night vision changes with age. Over time, you begin to lose some special cells in your retinas that distinguish dark and light. You may also have more cloudiness in your vision once the sun goes down. This can make it difficult for you to focus. Glare may also become more noticeable and distracting.
Does This Mean Your Eyesight Has Changed?
If you only notice issues when you drive at night, your overall vision can still be healthy. However, you need to keep an eye out for any signs of vision problems that come with getting older. Blurriness, halo effects around lights, or any sort of cloudiness at any point during the day or night can be cause for concern. You may also notice your eyes are more fatigued after you drive. If you have any of these problems, you should schedule an eye exam and tell your doctor about the symptoms you are having so you can take appropriate action.
How Can You Improve Your Vision for Night Driving?
If you begin to notice more difficulty driving at night, there are some practical steps you can take to help make driving easier. Make sure your windshield is clean and your headlights are the proper strength. You may also need special prescription glasses to wear at night when you drive. If you currently have glasses, speak to your eye doctor about changing your prescription. You may need more serious intervention, such as cataract surgery. If you are having problems safely driving at night, consider decreasing your driving time until you speak to your eye doctor.
Share24 February 2021
Hello, my name is Martin. Welcome to my site about optometry. I want to use this website to talk about all of the tools and techniques used to measure vision and eye health. Optometrists can accurately measure the patient's ability to see by simply performing a series of unique tests. The visions tests require the patient's participation to find the right prescription for corrective lenses. The rest of the exam is performed to check the health of the eye from the surface to the retina. I invite you to follow along and learn all you can about this interesting subject. Thanks for visiting.
