Q: Every year when we change the clocks, I realize how much I dislike driving in the dark! It’s harder to see the edge of the road, more headlight glare, and generally being less confident in my vision makes driving unpleasant. Any vision advice?
A: I think almost everyone notices this as well, but especially if you are over age 50. I mention that age not as a “hard and fast rule”, but rather because we all develop what is called lenticular sclerosis as we age. This means the crystal clear lens inside our eyes to help us focus, like a little magnifying glass, becomes stiffer and more discolored with each birthday.
Regardless of your exact age, our naturally clear lens in our childhood becomes a bit hazy in our forties and more so with each passing year. In fact, our crystalline lens gradually becomes yellowish and eventually brownish over time. No one escapes this side effect of “birthday disease”!
The results are that our eyes literally allow less light in with each year….making the world a little darker. This makes seeing after dark just more difficult. Many older folks will notice that they seem to need sunglasses less than when younger. We can prescribe specialized night driving lenses to brighten up the night for you. While these are not good for daytime driving, a separate pair of night driving glasses, or a custom ophthalmic magnetic clip-on can make night driving far easier.
You also mention headlight glare as a problem. Again, this affects everyone as our internal lens becomes cloudy. The hazy lens scatters incoming light…..causing more glare and flare from oncoming lights. It does help a little if you can train yourself to focus your gaze a bit more to the side of the road, and less directly on the oncoming vehicle. More importantly, is be certain your glasses have the best level of anti-glare, or reflection-free lens treatment. There are many types and grades of glare reduction available, but in general the best do cost more than the cheapest. You will need an optical provider you can trust for this choice. We unfortunately encounter many patients who unknowingly bought inferior lenses only to find that they scratch too easily or the protective coatings come off with time.
It is difficult to be an informed consumer in matters of lenses and optics. Too often we find online eyewear, and some “big box stores”, use older cheaper lenses for people. Ask questions and choose your optical provider carefully. Your investment should serve you well every single day, for quite a long time.