Night driving glasses - anti-glare

[cowtown_eric]

I used to work in ophthalmic photography taking pictures of the ocular fundus (back of eye)

I was told I had early cataracts which clouded the interior of the lens.

Night driving became a chore, so back to optometrists.

Tech used autorefractor, and tried to ship me off to the waiting m, but I said hang on.

As my complaint was about driving at night, I pointed out to her that she had all the lights on (ie pupil restricted, all light trying to focus through the cataract)

Turn off the lights, and let's get a refraction in the dark....(ie pupils dilated)

Which she did

One eye had a full diopter difference between the two autorefractions,, confirmed by optometrist, and lnight driving became ever so much easier

but you've had cataract extractions, and presumably have implants.. (which can have little complications), but I'll point out that the other important optical component of the eye is the cornea which has a shape!

daylight, pupil constricted, optics using only central area of cornea...

Nighttime, pupil dilated much wider, more cornea optics involved, and it has been disturbed by cataract extraction

There are many other nuances in the equation, but it may be worth a conversation with your ophthalmologist or optometrist

 

[newbiegirl]

Having just returned from trip to Scotland which by necessity involved driving at night, (something I now do infrequently), I found I was troubled with the glare of oncoming LED type headlamps.

Advertisements for tinted night driving glasses seem to offer miraculous results at relatively modest cost.

Does anyone have any opinions based on personal experience they are willing to offer?

Hi yes I have some and find them invaluable, you can also wear your normal glasses at same time (if you have them) I have 2 pairs, a pair in my car and a pair in hubbys car which I drive sometimes. Have found them very helpful
Good luck

 

[DrPhill]

Having just returned from trip to Scotland which by necessity involved driving at night, (something I now do infrequently), I found I was troubled with the glare of oncoming LED type headlamps.

Advertisements for tinted night driving glasses seem to offer miraculous results at relatively modest cost.

Does anyone have any opinions based on personal experience they are willing to offer?

Yes - I had some clip-on tints which helped a lot.
I have since got prescription tints from a well known high street optician. The help more than the clip on ones. They don’t solve the problem completely, but the do help.

I think the theory is that modern bright headlights emit a lot of blue light. The yellow filter cuts down the blue light reducing the headlights to bearable levels.

 

[BC'er]

I've used yellow shooting glasses for years when driving at night. They do a great job of cutting down the glare and improving one's ability to see against it. With more and more vehicles using ridiculously bright headlights and often leaving them on high beam, it's really a safety issue.

 

[Chubber]

A update on the above, I bought an inexpensive pair advertised in a newspaper supplement and found them helpful especially when the road surface is wet.

It's not world changing, but the starry halo around the headlights of oncoming vehicles is considerably reduced. I am pleased I bought them and haven't noticed any diminution of the other salient road features.

 

[Sachakins]

Changed to anti reflective lenes years back for my prescription and that reduced headlight glare a lot.
For sunnier driving I changed from dark lenses and photo chromatic lenses to polarised prescription sunglasses, that made driving in bright sun so much easier,no glare or reflections off the dash either.

 

[Bingy man]

Years ago while travelling to and from West Sussex and the south coast I always had problems with bright oncoming headlights , this well before led,s - street lamps could also give me problems- unusually the unlit sections of m. Way were bliss , I do my best to avoid night driving where possible especially on motorways. Large suv,s with led lamps are not nice whether on coming on a m .way or behind you on a single track country lane .

 

[Phill05]

After reading this post early January I picked up a pair of yellow tint clip-on's for night time driving and I find them great even day time driving I tend to put them on they help.

So thanks for the tips on this post.

 

[Sideways]

Changed to anti reflective lenes years back for my prescription and that reduced headlight glare a lot.
For sunnier driving I changed from dark lenses and photo chromatic lenses to polarised prescription sunglasses, that made driving in bright sun so much easier,no glare or reflections off the dash either.

It used to be that polarised sunglasses which are great for general use, especially around water or reflective surfaces, weren't recommended for driving. The polarisation showed up the funky stress patterns in the windscreen from the toughening process. I guess with progress most all cars have laminated windscreens these days and these don't have polarisation patterns to distract.

 

[Sachakins]

It used to be that polarised sunglasses which are great for general use, especially around water or reflective surfaces, weren't recommended for driving. The polarisation showed up the funky stress patterns in the windscreen from the toughening process. I guess with progress most all cars have laminated windscreens these days and these don't have polarisation patterns to distract.

Very rare nowadays, but rear windows still can still have stress patterns on some cars.

 

[Filament]

Just a note of caution that both TheAA and Which? advise against using tinted glasses at night due to exactly the reasons mentioned via people on the thread earlier (reduced visibility).

https://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/safety/driving-in-sunglasses

https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/are-night-driving-glasses-safe-to-wear-a20Q17g8xnyD

 

[Chubber]

Just a note of caution that both TheAA and Which? advise against using tinted glasses at night due to exactly the reasons mentioned via people on the thread earlier (reduced visibility).

https://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/safety/driving-in-sunglasses

https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/are-night-driving-glasses-safe-to-wear-a20Q17g8xnyD

I feel the dangers involved in being temporarily unable to see the nearside kerb or cats' eyes illuminated by one's own headlights or, indeed, traffic Islands far outweigh the prognostications of somebody who is being paid to pronounce on matters in a fashion calculated to absolve their employers of any possible liability.

I am NOT advocating the wearing of sunglasses during hours of darkness.

 

[Agent_zed]

Something that you should also check is the windscreen itself. I see that cleaning has been mentioned earlier but another factor is how scratched the screen is.

My other half has an 18yr old polo (still going strong) but something we've noticed is that at night the windscreen is so scratched with micro scratches that it catches the light of headlights and is producing glare on the windscreen itself. I think it is from years of being ice-scraped and is the reason I won't scrape my car windscreen.

I've tried polishing it but there are just too many scratches and they don't polish out. I'm going to buy a new windscreen.

 

[Eshmiel]

I feel the dangers involved in being temporarily unable to see the nearside kerb or cats' eyes illuminated by one's own headlights or, indeed, traffic Islands far outweigh the prognostications of somebody who is being paid to pronounce on matters in a fashion calculated to absolve their employers of any possible liability.

I am NOT advocating the wearing of sunglasses during hours of darkness.

There seem to be variable degrees of light-reduction through different polarised spectacles.

I have some sunglasses for cycling that reduce the transmitted light by nearly 90%. (The manufacturer's figure). These are good for very bright sunny days, especially if the roads are wet yet they can obscure the surface of back lanes with high banks or hedges and thus a lot of shadows.

I have another pair from an optician that are, essentially, ordinary bifocals for everyday use but with polarised lenses. These transmit a lot more light than the cycling pair, although I haven't been able to get a percentage figure for transmitted light from the optician.

Both pairs have quite strong polarising effects but the ordinary (not-for-cycling) pair are very usable for driving, even at night. Although they do reduce light transmission my eyes seem able to compensate presumably by opening my pupils wider. I can still see into the dimmer areas ahead. But the reduction of glare, reflections (especially windscreen reflections) and other light-distractions from a clear driving view ahead are very effective.

I'm guessing that some polarised spectacles also have otherwise darkened lenses as well as the light-reduction from the polarising itself. But its a guess - I don't know.

 

[Just4Fun]

I'm going to buy a new windscreen.

A BMW we bought new in 2004 is now on its 3rd or 4th screen. I am convinced that the replacement screens chip and scratch more easily than the original.

 

[Amplidyne]

I feel the dangers involved in being temporarily unable to see the nearside kerb or cats' eyes illuminated by one's own headlights or, indeed, traffic Islands far outweigh the prognostications of somebody who is being paid to pronounce on matters in a fashion calculated to absolve their employers of any possible liability.

I am NOT advocating the wearing of sunglasses during hours of darkness.

I don't like any dark glasses for driving. As said by many organisations, they actually cut down the light, whatever the perception may be. Training yourself to look away from oncoming headlights into your own dipped beam illuminated area / kerb is the only way IMHO.

 

[Eshmiel]

I don't like any dark glasses for driving. As said by many organisations, they actually cut down the light, whatever the perception may be. Training yourself to look away from oncoming headlights into your own dipped beam illuminated area / kerb is the only way IMHO.

Whilst your concern is valid - dark glasses do cut down light - there are two other considerations that support their use.

1) If the light being reduced is the kind (glare, reflections and other distractions/blinders) that makes driving safely impossible, then as long as they allow the driver to still see ahead, and more clearly, the use of polarised spectacles isn't an additional risk. They're reducing the risks.

2) The suggestion to look away from glare and other blinding lights is still, effectively, making a driver blind. They aren't looking where they're going. Many don't slow down whilst in this state, hence the many road killings and maiming by cars with the driver excusing themselves with phrases such as, "I couldn't see because the low sun was blinding me and I had to look away".

If the light is so bad and full of glare, reflections and the like, with no spectacles working to reduce those hazards, one shouldn't drive. This solution to the issue doesn't seem to be adopted by many drivers, who prefer the wishful thunk that, "There'll be nothing there, in that place I can't see".

 

[Phill05]

The anti glare driving glasses I picked up are not dark they are yellow and are not polarised.

Edit: sorry got it wrong they are polarised.

These night driving glasses use advanced technology to effectively block oncoming headlight glare, providing night driving glasses for men and women with enhanced visibility. The yellow lens is specially designed to improve night vision when driving in low-light conditions such as on cloudy, foggy, or rainy days, thereby reducing eye fatigue and improving safety

The HD polarized lenses eliminate reflected and stray light, offering a clear field of vision. With 100% UV400 protection, these anti-glare driving glasses shield your eyes from harmful UV rays, providing excellent clarity and comfort during both day and night driving

These night driving glasses are perfect for multiple outdoor activities, such as driving, fishing, or boating. The unique yellow lens is optimized for night driving, but is also effective during the day, particularly on cloudy, foggy, or rainy days, making these clip-on night driving glasses an ideal companion for any driver.

 

[Amplidyne]

Whilst your concern is valid - dark glasses do cut down light - there are two other considerations that support their use.

1) If the light being reduced is the kind (glare, reflections and other distractions/blinders) that makes driving safely impossible, then as long as they allow the driver to still see ahead, and more clearly, the use of polarised spectacles isn't an additional risk. They're reducing the risks.

2) The suggestion to look away from glare and other blinding lights is still, effectively, making a driver blind. They aren't looking where they're going. Many don't slow down whilst in this state, hence the many road killings and maiming by cars with the driver excusing themselves with phrases such as, "I couldn't see because the low sun was blinding me and I had to look away".

If the light is so bad and full of glare, reflections and the like, with no spectacles working to reduce those hazards, one shouldn't drive. This solution to the issue doesn't seem to be adopted by many drivers, who prefer the wishful thunk that, "There'll be nothing there, in that place I can't see".

I wonder if using tinted glasses of any sort isn't as bad as looking away from glare. You're cutting down your night vision all the time in effect. OK in town perhaps, but in the countryside, perhaps not so good.

And people should (and I repeat should) drive within the range of what they can see, if that means slowing down, then that's what it means. IMHO, people tend to drive too fast anyway, and no, I'm not a slow driver.

Likewise I know several people who have stopped driving at night due to the same problem, and the brightness of modern headlights.

I remember seeing a programme about wearing "night driving glasses" way back probably in the 60s before I could drive. Possibly one of those Cliff Mitchelmore type things.
The verdict of that was that all these so called glasses only give a perception of improving vision, by altering the contrast. In reality they make it worse not better.