Is this a problem with my eyesight, my glasses, or modern LED headlights?

[CollieFIower]

Recently got new glasses (I'm short sighted with astigmatism).

Since then, any LED headlights that I don't look at straight on (so eg when I glance up/across into the rear view or side mirrors) are kind of splitting/refracting so I can see the light, then a yellow light above them and a bright blue light below them. Normal incandescent headlights don't do it. And if I look straight at them instead of up/down/to the side it doesn't happen.

At first I kept thinking I could see an emergency vehicle, I'm gradually getting used to it but I don't like it!

So is it likely to be my eyesight, or the new lenses, or just what happens with LED headlights? Is there any point going back to the opticians about it or do I just have to add it to my struggles with super bright LED headlights on other vehicles 😬

I think it’s a combination of LEDs and astigmatism. Before LEDs, my astigmatism would make me see large blurs of light extending in a diagonal line above and below the lights; now I get a similar split of light to that you describe with LEDs.

I have succumbed to some yellow-tinted glasses for night driving (I wear contacts so can wear these easily, but you can get ones which go right over your glasses, or clip on) and this has helped a bit.

If you’ve recently seen an optician then this probably doesn’t apply, but the first time my DM knew she had a cataract was when she starting seeing the light from headlights with large haloes when driving at night.

I'm a similar prescription and get exactly the same thing, I thought it was just me!

I solved this by getting ultra bright LED headlights myself.

Your lenses in your glasses may not be appropriately angled to correct your astigmatism. I’d go back to the opticians and see if it’s the lens, the way it was put in your frames or whether your frames are properly fitted to your head.

It's probably a combination of a lot of things. Modern LED and extra bright headlights make it worse and theres more of them about. Did you get "digital screen coating" on your glasses? That brought up blue lights for me in evening and at night. Also your astigmatism could cause spoked glare looking at lights. It's also an early sign of cataracts. This limited my night driving for years until my cataract was done. If I had to drive at night I'd use yellow tired goggles over my glasses but I'd only do necessary local journeys in the dark as the glare would still tire me out.

I have an astigmatism and haven’t noticed any difference between incandescent, HID, or LED headlamps. Except that the latter two are much brighter.

I’m going to be looking for it now!

From £5 and up on ebay or Amazon etc. Make sure they're polarised

Aha this sounds like it might be the issue. I'll go back next week!

It's definitely only when I'm looking up/down/to the side at LED headlights. They don't do it when straight ahead in my field of vision (they just dazzle me then!).

I'll try these too, thanks.

I think my new glases have every coating going so yeah maybe this top

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/653793 In case anyone wants to sign this. Headlights are still too bright almost a year on!

OP, I'm so glad you posted this. I got my new glasses on Monday and I've noticed the same thing. It was very disconcerting and I've been wondering whether to go back to my optician or not. I never experienced this with my old glasses, which I wore right up until Monday, doing lots of night driving. That's what made me assume it's something wrong with the glasses not just my eyes or LED lights.

I'll go back to the optician. Hopefully they'll understand what I mean when I explain to them.

Yes, re cataracts. Had this confirmed with my optician. I also have short sight and astigmatism, which compounds the issue. Not to want to sound like I am catastrophising, but my optician also told me not to drive in the dark.