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I am blinded by headlights when I drive after 4pm. Help

159 replies

Greedybilly · 17/11/2025 19:31

I know it's really common these days to hate night driving/be blinded by headlights.
My question is has anyone tried those anti glare sunglasses and did they help?? Thanks

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8
xSideshowAuntSallyXx · 19/11/2025 06:18

I hate those bloody LED lights. So often I'm blinded by some idiot who either has their full beams on or them angled incorrectly as I'm coming down an unlit lane. There's no need for them.

I had an eye test last year so know my eyes are fine.

NoMoreHotHols · 19/11/2025 06:28

I found driving in glasses way better at night than in contact lenses.
The best solution for me though was to get scleral lenses (for different reasons), they make night tome driving so much better.

ExquisiteDresses · 19/11/2025 12:57

Negroany · 18/11/2025 23:28

So, let me make sure I have this right, you have:

Contacts (under corrected, so not for day to day wear)
Driving glasses for glare, with a bi focal section for the dashboard
Varifocals for other wear but they affect your peripheral vision.

So, you get in the car, take your varifocals off, put in your contact lenses, pop your driving glasses over the top, drive, get where you're going, remove your driving glasses and contacts and put your varifocals back on.

I mean, I'm happy that works for you. But it all sounds a LOT more expensive (and faffy) than just wearing the varifocals. I can't wear contacts anyway. But my varifocals (which don't seem to cause me any peripheral vision problems, though my script isn't that different to yours) cost £600+, and that's NOT because I buy £400 frames, the frames are normally c£50-100.

Anyway. Regardless of that, the problem is the lights and we shouldn't have to shell out loads of money to fix that!

Not quite, it's much simpler than that.

Contact lenses virtually all the time, it's a slight under-correction and they are fine for everything except night time driving including reading and computer work. Legal for daytime driving and I don't need to wear reading glasses over my contacts which I would if they were full strength.

Driving glasses for night time over the contacts. Tiny minus prescription as a top-up, all the anti-glare coatings and a close-up section at the bottom to counteract the minus bit.

Full strength vari-focals for the odd day I can't / don't wear contacts. I keep an older pair of full strength distance glasses in the glove compartment for emergencies.

All very straightforward.

So what I was getting at is if you only need glasses for driving but do need reading correction as well as distance/glare you can get them a lot cheaper than full varifocals. Mine cost about £200 versus £600 for my main varifocals. The peripheral issue is only a problem when reversing, so bay parking but I have to do that pretty well every time I drive.

My whole lot does work out expensive but I do such a lot of driving it's worth it and my car is small and cheap to run so there's a saving there.

Pinkfluffypencilcase · 20/11/2025 15:00

WonderingWanda · 18/11/2025 07:09

Headlights have got brighter but I don't think that's the only problem, an increasing number of people fail to dip their beam when passing oncoming traffic. This week I have done multiple journeys on dark country roads and cars coming towards me have been merrily driving toward me with full beam blazing, until I flash them and then the remember to dip it.

Aren’t you meant to dip
or turn full beam off if there’s on coming traffic? That’s what I’ve always done.

WonderingWanda · 20/11/2025 15:38

Pinkfluffypencilcase · 20/11/2025 15:00

Aren’t you meant to dip
or turn full beam off if there’s on coming traffic? That’s what I’ve always done.

Yes, that's what I'm saying, lots of people seem to not bother anymore

Pinkfluffypencilcase · 20/11/2025 15:42

WonderingWanda · 20/11/2025 15:38

Yes, that's what I'm saying, lots of people seem to not bother anymore

Agree that’s v inconsiderate and dangerous.

BooseysMom · 20/11/2025 16:52

Lemintonic · 17/11/2025 20:23

Whether you wear glasses or contacts ot have perfect vision, the issue is the fucking wanky awful lights. They are ridiculous and dangerous and the amount of people and organisations agreeing that something needs to be done is the proof of that. Not that anything will be done as it seems that big cars with these headlights are a priority over safety.
Us little car drivers may as well just write suicide note every time we drive in the dark.
Fuckers.

Absolutely 100%. There was a thread recently on how dangerous these big unnecessary SUVs are as they are higher up and not only blind other drivers but kill pedestrians more easily. I hate them. I drive an old small car which is perfectly adequate and wouldn't want a new big car even if I could afford one. The problem I've found is drivers tailgating me cos I drive slower than them as I get blinded by these ridiculous lights. Why is everyone in such a rush to get anywhere? Speed and stupid LED lights kill ffs. Everyone should be made to drive a small car imo

EmilyinPoole · 20/11/2025 16:58

Greedybilly · 17/11/2025 19:31

I know it's really common these days to hate night driving/be blinded by headlights.
My question is has anyone tried those anti glare sunglasses and did they help?? Thanks

Hadn't heard of these, thanks.

Fedupwithnamechanging · 22/11/2025 16:37

I have the antiglare glasses that turn the glare yellow rather than bright white which helps, but I do try and avoid the back lanes with no street lights at night as the glare from oncoming LED headlights is still tricky. I have cataracts developing (hence the glare is worsening). Please book an eye test.

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