Driving at night can be a dangerous feat. Nighttime driving is associated with many risks because the dark can make the road harder to see, and bright headlights can temporarily blind drivers. This can cause accidents, like collisions and driving off the road. However, the risks associated with nighttime driving multiply whenever older adults are behind the wheel.
As such, The Mercury News reports that yellow-tinted glasses are now being advertised as products that can reduce the glare from headlights so nighttime drivers can focus on the road and drive more confidently. These glasses are called nighttime driving glasses, and below, we’ll discuss further about them and who needs to wear them.
What are Nighttime Driving Glasses?
As its name suggests, nighttime driving glasses support driving activities when it’s dark out. They’re usually yellow-tinted—as mentioned above—to cut down the brightness of oncoming vehicles’ headlights.
These tinted lenses are usually treated with other technologies for better effectiveness. One of these technologies is the sun lenses used by many prescription glasses on LensCrafters. This technology is applied to many glasses brands offered by LensCrafters, like Ray-Ban and Oakley, to reduce halos, star bursts, and glare that can briefly impair a person’s vision. Through this anti-reflective technology, drivers can see the roads better at night whenever they use their prescription glasses.
Meanwhile, the sunglasses from Maui Jim are known for their technical quality and their ophthalmic lenses. These ophthalmic lenses are the brand’s most popular lens material, and it also aids nighttime driving. This type of lens enhances the wearer’s vision, addressing their visual needs. This will give them a clearer view of the road even when there’s limited visibility.
Now, let’s move on to the types of people who need nighttime driving glasses.
Who Should Wear Nighttime Driving Glasses?
Older adults
Blurry vision is a normal part of ageing caused by the hardening of the lens of the eyes. This starts during your 40s can worsen until you reach your mid-60s. As a result, you’ll have a harder time focusing on close objects. Other eye conditions that the elderly can experience are age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.
Given these, older adults should wear nighttime driving glasses to prevent road accidents. They should consider getting a prescription for their driving glasses to ensure clearer vision on the road.
Residents of Ohio and other places with cold climates
Ohio is one of the coldest regions in the country. Unfortunately, older adults residing in Ohio and other places with cold climates may find it hard to navigate through the roads due to the thick snow.
Our article entitled ‘Winter Driving Tips for Everyone (Especially Us)’ points out that driving can be dangerous and even fatal during winter, which is why it’s crucial for older adults from Ohio and other cold places to wear nighttime driving glasses. Though older drivers are typically careful on the road, they are more at risk for injuries or fatalities due to age-related fragility. Therefore, it’s crucial to wear spectacles that can boost the vision of drivers and make it easier for them to see incoming cars or road markers while it’s snowing.
People with nyctalopia and glaucoma
Nyctalopia, also called night blindness, is caused by a disorder in the cells in the retina that enable a person to see in dim light. WebMD’s article on night blindness reveals that this condition makes it harder to see in poor light or at nighttime. Additionally, it can be a symptom of other visual conditions, like nearsightedness or glaucoma.
Glaucoma is another eye condition that affects a person’s eyesight. It reduces one’s peripheral vision, making it difficult to see when it’s dark out. Due to the nature of these conditions, individuals with nyctalopia and glaucoma should thus consider using yellow or amber-tinted glasses—along with medication, such as eye drops—to assist their nighttime driving.
Nighttime driving glasses reduce glare, star bursts, and halos from oncoming headlights and other harsh lighting on the road. While anyone can wear these glasses, it’s especially recommended that older adults, people with glaucoma or nyctalopia, or people residing in cold climates do so.
