The inability to see properly at night or in low light conditions affects everyone to some extent. This can be particularly noticeable while driving in the winter season with short days and long evening hours. Poor weather conditions as well as glare and light scatter off oncoming car headlights can add to the problem and make night driving dangerous.
Signs and Symptoms of Night Vision Driving Vision Problems
The most common symptoms usually include difficulty in reading road signs at night as well as glare and halos off oncoming car lights are. However, patients may also have problems seeing the dashboard and instrumentation under low light conditions.
What Causes Night Driving Vison Problems?
Uncorrected glasses needs (refractive errors) or incorrect glasses prescriptions are some of the most common causes of night vison problems. Poor quality glasses lenses or scratched lenses can also impact night time clarity dramatically.
Eye diseases such as Cataracts, Glaucoma, and Macular Degeneration can frequently cause drastic changes in night vision. Dr. Reinders or Dr. Board will test for these and many other conditions as part of your annual eye examination.
How are Night Driving Vision Problems Diagnosed?
A comprehensive eye examination is the best way to determine if a glasses need or a disease process is causing the decrease in night vision. During your examination, Dr. Reinders or Dr. Board will determine the best lens combination for your glasses to maximize your night vision and thoroughly examine your eyes for any disease processes.
How are Night Driving Vision Problems Treated?
The first step in maximizing your night (and day!) vision is to have the most accurate glasses prescription and only the highest quality lenses for your eyewear. These glasses should always be treated with anti-glare coating which will help reduce glare off your windshield and oncoming car lights.
Cataract surgery can be very beneficial in those patients with visually significant cataracts. Glaucoma and other eye diseases that can affect night vision must be monitored closely by Dr. Reinders and Dr. Board to prevent any further vision loss.
Although there are ways to help reduce night vision problems, it is impractical to expect to see a road sign from the same distance at night as during the day. We must all remember that for the safety of ourselves and others, nighttime speeds need to be reduced and extra precautions taken.
What Steps Should I Take If I Think I’m Having Vision Problems While Driving at Night?
If you feel that you are having problems with night driving or that your vision is changing, we recommend that you see Dr. Reinders or Dr. Board as soon as possible for a complete eye examination. Glasses can often be helpful for night driving but we also must eliminate the possibility of eye diseases causing night vision issues. Dr. Reinders and Dr. Board have 40 years of combined experience in treating night vision problems and related issues. The sooner you can check your eyes, the better. All doctors agree that waiting and hoping it will get better is not a prescription for success.