Q: My wife was just in a car accident, struck by a driver who claimed he just “ did not see” her vehicle in the glare of the sun. How best to prevent such things?
A: You would be surprised by the large number of vehicle accidents attributed to “blinding glare” in the police report! I am each day surprised by the number of patients we see who do not routinely wear effective sun protection for their eyes and vision. Let’s just say wearing a hat is not enough!
There are at least three good solutions for this issue:
1. Choose a “light adaptive” lens for your eyewear. These newer lenses turn dark in direct sun in under 30 seconds, and become completely clear again in about 90 seconds indoors. This is the most convenient option, but is not ideal. Changeable lenses, like the much advertised brand “Transitions” do not turn as dark inside a car as in direct sunlight. And generally we find the “polarization” to be less than ideal.
2. Clip on lenses over your regular eyewear. Many styles exist, but the best in my opinion are attached to your eyewear lenses with tiny magnets imbedded in your eyeglass lenses. These match the shape of your glasses exactly, and do not scratch your lenses, as many designs do over time. These magnetic clips can be made in polarized lenses.
3. Polarized prescription eyewear. This is the best, in my opinion, as they provide the best polarization and can be made with your newest, sharpest vision Rx. They are always dark, gray or brown, so that inside your car, you have maximum brightness relief.
Polarization…..what is that? Sunlight, when reflected from any flat surface ( think highways and streets, not just water ), is polarized. This is a longer story of physics than most people care to hear, but suffice it to say that polarized lenses actually absorb all that reflected glare! So your vision is not only less bright, but you can actually see objects that would normally be hidden in that blinding glare! More comfortable vision and a far better vision.
At your next eye exam, simply ask your eye doctor what your best options are for sun protection both to prevent eye damage from UV radiation and to provide better and safer driving vision. Yes, it may mean having two pairs of prescription glasses, but your improved vision and UV protection for eye health make this a sound investment for most people.