Have you gotten to the point where you dread driving at night? Lights from oncoming cars practically blind you, and the glare is worse than ever. Astigmatism in your eyes makes driving at night riskier if you don’t take precautions.
Our board-certified ophthalmologists and optometrist at Wolchok Eye Associates, PA, administer comprehensive eye exams to improve vision.
Astigmatism is a common eye condition that causes blurred vision. It can occur with or without nearsightedness and farsightedness. About one-third of adults have some degree of astigmatism, and the percentage climbs to about two-thirds among senior adults.
When you have astigmatism, your eye’s cornea or lens is irregularly shaped. Instead of a normal round shape, it’s elongated, like a football. Your eye is unable to focus light onto a single point.
Astigmatism makes night driving more difficult. Bright lights from oncoming cars and those behind you, plus streetlights and lights from businesses and homes, can cause you to see rings or halos around lights as well as long streaks or bursts of light, all of which hinder your vision.
Visibility is much more limited when driving at night, so it’s important to see as clearly as possible. The following are five helpful tips for nighttime driving with astigmatism.
Your Wolchok Eye Associates, PA, eye expert can prescribe glasses with an anti-reflective coating that reduces the halo and starburst effects that you see from bright lights at night. This proactive measure can go a long way toward improving your nighttime vision.
An easy way to cut down some of the glare is to change your rearview mirror setting to the night view. You avoid being blinded when you look in the mirror.
Staring straight ahead as vehicles come toward you at night can blind you. Practice looking to the white line on the right side of the road.
Check your car owner’s manual to learn how to dim your dashboard lights and infotainment screen with your maps and music.
Make sure your prescription is current. The best way to ensure that is to keep your regularly scheduled eye appointments. At your eye exam, your doctor lets you know if you need a new prescription. It can make the difference between seeing clearly and making a mistake when driving at night.
Call Wolchok Eye Associates, PA, to schedule your comprehensive eye exam today.
