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Original poster

To ask you why I might struggle to drive in the dark?

121 replies

heyomayo · 31/10/2023 18:10

Had an eye test a month ago and told 20/20 vision… not even a slight prescription. I am surprised and feel really fortunate.

Anyway, I thought this last winter and I’m now noticing it again, I have to pay so much more attention driving in the dark. I’m not squinting but all the white lights really seem to dazzle me and makes it really hard to concentrate, or at least I feel that way. It just feels like a much harder experience than driving in the day. This is my fifth winter driving, so I am an experienced driver and never remember being like this prior to the end of last winter. I’m not sure if it’s the ultra-white streetlights or maybe the running lights on some cars now? Does anyone have any ideas?

OP posts:
junbean · 31/10/2023 21:23

madeinmanc · 31/10/2023 20:23

I recently had a very near miss as a cyclist in a shared path due to these reasons. The cycle path is contraflow bidirectional* so if you imagine I was on the left of the path which runs along the road just like a pavement, I get blinded by the oncoming dazzling lights of an SUV and then in that same split second a cyclist all in black without lights is coming right at me! 😧

These new headlights need to be legislated on, it's got ridiculous.

  • Edit: I meant bidirectional
Edited
Show quote history

I agree with this so much! I'm in the US and people here will buy extra-extra bright LED lights that are brighter than high beams. They'll have them in different colors running along the bottom too, like strip lighting. It's always on showy cars like Mustangs or ridiculously giant pickup trucks. I don't mind they like to show off, but there should be rules about blinding other motorists.

familyissues12345 · 31/10/2023 21:28

I heard recently that women find driving at night gets harder the older they get. Not sure if there's any truth in that but I know it's getting harder for me!

lljkk · 31/10/2023 21:43

My kids asked years ago how they heck do people drive at dark & not get dazzled, so even they think it's hard to do. I said "Oh you follow the line on your side & don't look anywhere else" ... but honestly it's tough. I can believe too high lumen on car headlights. This winter I will drive many miles and miles of narrow A-road without any cats eyes on the left margin, trying not to see bright oncoming lights. It's frigging annoying as heck.

fetchacloth · 31/10/2023 21:52

I realise you're young OP but maybe your optician should test you for cataracts and glaucoma. Both of these conditions cause considerable difficulty with night driving, especially glare and dazzle.
I had my cataracts removed earlier this year and the difference is just amazing. I now have better vision than I had in my 30s, I'm almost 60.

hexsnidgett · 31/10/2023 21:53

Maybe it seems to be more of a problem for women, due to the height difference?

Alicenwonderland · 31/10/2023 21:54

Completely agree with everyone! I'm 45 with astigmatism and I detest driving at night! It's far worse in the rain and I'm constantly dazzled by headlights. I avoid driving in the dark as much as possible. I tried the special glasses and they didn't help at all.

Flev · 31/10/2023 21:58

Me too - in my 40s, short and with an astigmatism, and I hate driving at night now (which is basically after 4-30 thanks to the stupid clock change). The absolute worst are the crazy high SUVs with superbright lights, they are physically painful!

deplorabelle · 31/10/2023 21:59

We had to replace our windscreen and I went for the extra water repellant coating. It has made night driving much better because with the old windscreen any moisture on the screen reflected the light all over the glass and it was hard to see

underneaththeash · 31/10/2023 22:09

Optician here.
Astigmatism is a completely normal part of a spectacle prescription. Around 85% of people have it and all it means is that you’re more long or short-sighted along one part of the eye than the opposite bit.

it’s usually due to the horizontal part of the cornea bring more cubes than the vertical bit.

it can change throughout your life - just as long or short-sightedness can.

it’s almost impossible to not check for it as part of an eye examination. But not all contact lenses correct for it.

OP it’s very difficult to say what the issue may be, you do go more short sighted at night, so it may be worth having your eye re-checked. But it may just be that you have large pupils, as your pupils get larger in the dark, you use more of the outer part of the cornea and this has more irregularities in it - which are called aberrations. Blue eyes tend to have larger pupils than brown. If it is just this, there’s very little you can do about it.

Gummybear75 · 31/10/2023 22:12

I'm late 20s and only last year and this year I'm suddenly finding it hard driving at night! Feels like I just can't see properly but my eye test was absolutely fine too!

justasking111 · 31/10/2023 22:12

I've had my glaucoma fixed. Great eyesight now but those headlights bother me still.

Isheabastard · 31/10/2023 22:25

I’m very short so I am always quite low in my seat.

Ive always felt I get a lot more glare because of this. Cars are mostly designed by men, so are designed for much taller bodies.

I also agree that as I get older I find driving at night harder.

Original poster
heyomayo · 31/10/2023 22:26

Thank you everyone, I’ll ask about astigmatism. I think I was told I had this before. I do think it’s the glare of the white lights tbh and I drive a small car so maybe I see the glare from the higher cars, always think they’re flashing me when they are probably just going over a pot hole!

OP posts:
Romeiswheretheheartis · 31/10/2023 22:32

I have this too, and never used to drive at night because of it. Unfortunately I now have a teenage dd who I'm having to collect from parties, down long unlit roads late at night, in all weathers- I absolutely hate it!

AntonFeckoff · 31/10/2023 22:32

underneaththeash · 31/10/2023 22:09

Optician here.
Astigmatism is a completely normal part of a spectacle prescription. Around 85% of people have it and all it means is that you’re more long or short-sighted along one part of the eye than the opposite bit.

it’s usually due to the horizontal part of the cornea bring more cubes than the vertical bit.

it can change throughout your life - just as long or short-sightedness can.

it’s almost impossible to not check for it as part of an eye examination. But not all contact lenses correct for it.

OP it’s very difficult to say what the issue may be, you do go more short sighted at night, so it may be worth having your eye re-checked. But it may just be that you have large pupils, as your pupils get larger in the dark, you use more of the outer part of the cornea and this has more irregularities in it - which are called aberrations. Blue eyes tend to have larger pupils than brown. If it is just this, there’s very little you can do about it.

Re large pupils - my pupils are unnaturally large in anything other than bright sunlight. Quite a few people have made jokes about me being on drugs over the years (hilarious Hmm). I don’t take any medication that is associated with dilated pupils. Is there any reason it might be happening or is it just a variation of normal?

justasking111 · 31/10/2023 22:34

Interesting about being short I'm 5' and drive a mini so very low down.

Centercenter · 31/10/2023 22:38

Same here, have always felt the same. I remember bursting into tears one night just after the clocks changed because there was no one ahead of me at the traffic lights at the edge of the city and without the lights to 'follow' on the country lanes I find it really hard, most headlights just dazzle me.

underneaththeash · 31/10/2023 22:38

AntonFeckoff · 31/10/2023 22:32

Re large pupils - my pupils are unnaturally large in anything other than bright sunlight. Quite a few people have made jokes about me being on drugs over the years (hilarious Hmm). I don’t take any medication that is associated with dilated pupils. Is there any reason it might be happening or is it just a variation of normal?

Show quote history

If they’re equally dilated, still constrict in sunlight and you’re fit and healthy and they’ve always been like that, it’s likely to be just you!

AntonFeckoff · 31/10/2023 22:42

Centercenter · 31/10/2023 22:38

Same here, have always felt the same. I remember bursting into tears one night just after the clocks changed because there was no one ahead of me at the traffic lights at the edge of the city and without the lights to 'follow' on the country lanes I find it really hard, most headlights just dazzle me.

I had similar recently trying to keep up with a car ahead of me on a long windy up-and-down cliff road (also full of potholes!). It was awful. I white-knuckled the whole thing.

@underneaththeash thank you. On top of that I’m also short-sighted and have convergence insufficiency. Damn my feeble eyes!

WonderingWanda · 31/10/2023 22:43

Astigmatism here too, makes all the lights spay outwards, struck me driving home in the wet and dark this evening, I'd forgotten how horrible it is.

Sugarfree23 · 01/11/2023 00:27

It's the modern headlights.

I've had an astigmatism for years but the last few years it's the headlights that have changed not my eyes.

CherryMyBrandy · 01/11/2023 00:52

I have this problem and have always had it. My night vision is generally rubbish (my DH can see normally when I basically can't see my hand in front of my face!). And the glare when driving makes driving at night very difficult. Opticians can't find any issue and have no explanation. Maybe I didn't eat enough carrots as a child. Mum did warn me so I only gave myself to blame 😂😂😂😂

CastlesinSpain · 01/11/2023 01:37

I have Cerulean cataracts (also known as blue dot cataract) - it's a genetic condition which very, very slowly gets worse. I've always had poor night vision and been dazzled by headlights since I learned to drive as a teenager ( long before modern headlights) - symptoms of this problem.

I've no idea how common it is but regular eye tests didn't pick it up. It wasn't until I was in my 60s and was sent to be tested for old-age type cataract that I was told I had it.

catin8oots · 01/11/2023 01:41

Astigmatism!

DiscoBeat · 01/11/2023 01:43

Also the automatic full beam on new cars which don't always register a car is coming towards them.

This is true - for the first time I've got this on my car and it is definitely slower to dip than if I were dipping the lights myself - gives the person opposite an unnecessary 2 seconds of being dazzled.