Changing Vision and the Struggles of Night Driving

Driving during the day and driving at night can be two completely different experiences, especially if you don’t have perfect eyesight. By carefully considering and combating the dangers of night driving, you can improve your own safety and the safety of those around you.

Why is Night Driving More Dangerous than Day Driving?

The road at night can look quite different from the same road during the day. First, being surrounded by darkness makes it harder to see obstacles in front of you or pedestrians and animals approaching from the side. It’s also more difficult to read road signs until you’re up close, which could lead to dangerous braking and swerving. Then, there’s the glare of headlights from oncoming traffic, which can temporarily blind you, especially on curving roads.

Even if you feel confident about driving at night, not everyone you share the road with feels the same way. That’s why everyone should be more careful when driving at night to reduce the risk of accidents.

Aging Only Makes Things Worse

Young eyes can typically see better at night than aging eyes. After all, you gradually lose some of the rods in your eyes as you get older. You need these specialized cells to distinguish light from dark.

Your lenses also tend to grow cloudier and stiffer over the years, a condition that can lead to cataracts. This vision problem increases your sensitivity to glare and makes it more difficult to focus. Other age-related eye problems may also set in, such as macular degeneration and glaucoma. Because of these reasons, night driving only gets more challenging with age.

Monitor Any Changes to Your Vision

Don’t ignore eye problems that make it harder to drive safely at night, including:

• Halo effects
• Blurry vision
• Dim eyesight
• Clouded vision
• Increased glare
• Eye fatigue

If you notice any of these symptoms, schedule an eye exam right away. Fixing the problem may be as simple as updating your eyewear prescription or providing you with night driving glasses.

Make Night Driving Safer

In addition to speaking with an eye doctor, there are other things you can do to keep your vision as clear as possible at night:

• Get plenty of rest so you don’t drive drowsy.
• Clean your windshield inside and out to remove smears and grime that could obstruct your vision.
• Clean and adjust your headlights to help the beams shine as brightly as possible on the road ahead of you.
• Replace burned-out headlights as soon as possible.
• Make sure your glasses prescriptions are up to date.
• Ask opticians about anti-glare technology coatings for driving glasses.

Turn to an Optometrist for Help

If night driving has become more of an issue lately, visit Spindel Eye Associates for the solutions you need. Our eye doctors can determine the cause of your struggles and suggest a new glasses prescription or other aids to improve your night vision. For more information or to schedule an appointment in Derry, Londonderry, Windham, or Raymond NH, please call 603.421.6536 or contact us online.