I can't drive at night

[Ilovechintz]

Just got home from seeing a friend, journey took much longer as I had to keep slowing down because oncoming lights of traffic were blinding me.

Last year I have not liked driving at night, this evening was first time in a few months and it seemed so much worse. Anyone else feel like this?

I was on the A303 and A358 which I found hardest, then on the M5 which was ok.

@Nannyfannybanny I have very pale eyes, so much so that people commented constantly growing up. Is this relevant when you say slow reaction after pupils dilate?

Somebody I know someone noticed a problem when driving at night, where there appeared to be a halo or circles around lights, it turned out that he had developed diabetes.

Link to www.sightresearchuk.org

www.sightresearchuk.org/eye-health-conditions/looking-after-your-sight/if-you-have-diabetes/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA8t2eBhDeARIsAAVEga2pe-2kOELM65bJ_TO7roKI58AhAMAf3htep3QlzXGLNy5Uk2WE8EUaAqfFEALw_wcB

We live rurally and I occasionally have to do a 30 minute journey in the dark. Narrow country roads mean there's very little room for manoeuvre. I don't see many cars on the journey as it's quite a remote area but when one comes towards me I am temporarily blinded and I invariably slow right down as the other car passes. It can be quite frightening.

I feel like headlights are brighter and also higher up on lots of big SUV type cars do they dazzle straight in your eye.

I only passed my test last year and I absolutely detest driving in the dark, where possible my husband makes sure he is the one driving as he knows how much I struggle with it, it’s completely blinding and I can’t see anything when there’s oncoming traffic.
It’s so stressful, especially on the country lanes when someone comes flying round a corner, we have a very long B-road to get to our house, luckily it has two lanes but it’s not lit up at all so its horrendous to drive it at night, especially as there’s an ever growing number of pot holes!

Yes I have astigmatism and struggle with this! Tempted to try the yellow glasses but I don’t wear contacts so would have to wear them over the top of my normal glasses- does anyone else do this?

I'd like to know this too, I need glasses for night driving already but would like to try the yellow ones over the top if doable?!

I'm a similar age and I've noticed over the last few years how much the lights dazzle me. I wear the night tinted glasses but it's still dazzling. I think it is a combination of brighter headlights, suvs (although not restricted to these cars), changing of the street lights from yellow to LEDs (no idea if this contributes but it definitely seems darker with the new street lights) and age. I remember when I was young my mum saying she hated driving in the dark. I didn't have a clue what she was on about and told her it was just as easy to see in the dark as the daytime. So I think age is the main thing. Everyone I speak to my age is the same and there are no problems with my eyes.

I’ve noticed certain new cars, mainly SUV’s that have very bright, white headlights that look like they’re stuck on main beam. Teslas seem to be the worst.

But one thing that helped me a bit was giving the inside of both the front and back screens a really thorough clean, a layer had built up on it (which wasn’t really noticeable) and that added to the glare of lights.

It's mostly to do with the ultra bright LED's. Normal lights don't cause me any problems. I don't know why they're not being cracked down on, it's not fair on other road users.

I don’t have cataracts but with me it’s an age thing - night vision does deteriorate.
I just don’t/won’t drive on unlit country roads at night. I’m OK on roads with really good cats’ eyes or other clear markings, well lit urban roads and motorways.

Ilovechintz I wasn't aware of the problems with day vision at the time, but after my cataract operation (both eyes done, a week apart) I was astonished how my perception of colour had changed. What I thought was a pale yellow was actually nearer white, a turquoise was green in reality etc...

But it was what I can only describe as a wall of light that dazzled me at night driving, making it very hard for me to see what was coming my way - a car or a motorbike or a coach - that frightened me, and made me seek urgent help. The deterioration was very sudden.

Most people have wrong lights settings, this is why they are so blinding. Instead of giving light on the road, they blind what's in front of them. I don't think you can ever get used to it. I tend to slow down.

That’s it!

The goggle style I referred to earlier fit entirely over my glasses. Ebay or amazon, less than a tenner.

global.essilor.com/uk/blog/age-and-eyesight/night-driving-at-40-years-old

I have astigmatism too, normally wear varifocals and had exactly the same problem.

I mentioned it to the optician last time I went and ended up buying a separate pair of glasses for night driving. They are fixed length rather than varifocals and have a special anti-glare coating.

I still find some cars' lights uncomfortably bright, perhaps because I'm short, as people have suggested, but at least I don't have the diagonal lines any more.

This is interesting. I have exactly the same issue as OP and have spent silly money on specific lenses with a coating that was supposed
to reduce the coma around oncoming headlights and street lighting but they didn’t work. In the past I’ve even worn skiing glasses with amber tinted lenses which made a difference back in my late 30’s early 40’s but do nothing for me now. I now won’t go out if it means driving after dark which has been a real issue over the winter.

When I had my last eye test done early because my distance vision had deteriorated significantly (lost 3 lines on the letter chart in less than 18 months)the optician said if it had been any worse he would have had to refer me to the hospital in case the sudden deterioration was due to cataracts. It’s continued to deteriorate since then and I now have to wear glasses
to clearly see any writing on our tv screen which is less than 3m away; so I really must try and get seen again but, now the issue is cost - I simply can’t afford to replace the glasses I’ve got at the moment so am making do until I can’t manage on my current prescription.

Cataract surgery made no difference to my night vision. I had mine done four years ago and I still don’t drive at night.

Thank you! @UnattendedPotato

astigmatism can be corrected by glasses, they may suggest a different pair for driving.

I can see perfectly during the day. My prescription is complex and the lenses cost a fortune. I couldn't afford to get another pair solely for very occasional night time use.

Could it be related to menopause / perimenopause? My sister has this issue and we read a piece by Dr Louise Newson, the Menopause Doctor where she says many of her patients report problems with driving at night and driving anxiety as a symptom. My sister is on HRT now and she thinks the night driving is much better.

We have also both noticed that the glare from oncoming cars is much better when wearing glasses rather than contact lenses.

@SaltnPeppaPig my astigmatism is “mild” so I don’t pay the extra for my contact lenses to cover this (as it’s expensive) whereas my glasses lenses do.

"Kids" should be ok.

It's as younger older that you get this problem.

I wish all roads were lit as it's much easier then.

Iilovechinz, not exactly it's more complicated than that. It's so long winded to type it all out,and you need the pictures. Look up Rods and Cones in eye. I went through the menopause at 42, no change then. I have trouble with sun glare as well, it's those damn purple cones!!