Driving at Night With Astigmatism
Getting to see well enough to drive at night is challenging for everyone, but it can be even more challenging if you have astigmatism or a cornea or lens shape that affects your vision.
Signs You May Have Astigmatism
Astigmatism is characterized by the following symptoms:
Blurry vision
Fuzzy images
Light halos or streaks
Glare from lights
Needing to squint
Regardless of the severity of your astigmatism, your budget, and your long-term vision goals, you should schedule an eye exam immediately. There are both temporary and permanent solutions available for astigmatism.
How does astigmatism affect nighttime driving?
A person with astigmatism may experience blurriness and glare when looking at headlights or traffic lights due to the way light refracts inside their eyes. An already dangerous undertaking becomes even more dangerous at night, when the low ambient light contrasts with the bright flashes of other cars.
Tips:
Here are five tips for improving your nighttime astigmatism symptoms.
1. Practice Safe Driving
No matter whether you have astigmatism or not, these tips will assist you in driving safely.
If you have reduced vision, you should always give yourself extra time for your trip, regardless of the time of day. Thus, you will not feel under pressure to exceed the speed limit, so you will have more time to read passing signs, more leeway to react to sudden changes, and be better prepared for emergency situations.
Similarly, you should not drive if you are fatigued. Your eyes will strain and you will have difficulty seeing upcoming hazards, as well as making mistakes, which can have serious consequences.
Also, when driving at night, do not look directly at traffic lights or headlights. Even if this does not completely alleviate glare, it will help minimize it. Additionally, keep the lights in your car as low as possible. By doing so, you will be able to adjust your eyes to the lower levels of light outside.
It is also important to limit the number of distractions surrounding you while you are driving. Distractions impede your ability to concentrate on the road and hazards ahead, which is already difficult in the presence of astigmatism.
2. Consider using Astigmatism Glasses
In the case of astigmatism, driving at night is particularly hazardous. Proper glasses will reduce such dangers by bending the light before it reaches your eyes, which will reduce glare, halos, streaks, and general blurriness and allow you to remain focused.
The first thing you need to do is schedule an eye exam to determine your exact prescription. Once you have found the right prescription, you can choose the style of glasses you prefer. You can also choose special lenses which can further improve your vision, eye health, and overall experience.
Glasses designed to reduce glare
Transition lenses that become sunglasses during the day
Water-repellent and shatter-proof lenses
Lenses that reduce your exposure to harmful blue light from screens
It is imperative that you update your prescription every few years and that you take care not to lose or break your glasses.
3. The use of Contact Lenses
The use of contact lenses can be extremely helpful in alleviating mild symptoms of astigmatism. This is a great option if you do not want to deal with the hassle of glasses. However, your prescription must still be determined by an optometrist.
In addition, most contact lenses are so comfortable that you will not feel as if you are wearing anything at all. Aside from that, there are no significant differences between contact lenses and glasses regarding vision improvement.
Contact lenses, however, must be replaced more frequently than glasses, potentially resulting in higher costs.
4. Orthokeratology
Contact lenses are the equivalent of orthodontic braces in Orthokeratology, also known as Ortho-K. In this practice, you wear specific contact lenses overnight while you sleep, then take them out in the morning. By slowly altering the shape of your cornea, the lenses improve your vision the following day.
If you have mild astigmatism, orthokeratology lenses are an excellent option for you. Like regular contacts, you will need to consult with an optometrist to determine the perfect fit for you.
As a result, orthokeratology is one of the more expensive fixes for astigmatism, and its effects last for only a few days after you stop using it.
5. Eye Surgery
A surgical procedure is usually the most effective solution for vision problems. This is usually a permanent solution, so you will no longer require contact lenses or glasses.
In most cases, people with astigmatism qualify for LASIK, the most common form of eye surgery. An extremely precise laser is used to alter the corneal shape during this procedure. The procedure is completely safe and can improve your vision immediately. There are some possible side effects or complications, however, these are rare.
Among the other surgical procedures are:
Epi-LASIK: Uses a surgical tool rather than a laser to access the cornea.
LASEK: This is similar to LASIK but doesn’t cut as deep.
PRK: To access the cornea, the epithelium is removed completely.
SMILE: Some tissue is removed with a microscopic incision.
Refractive or toric lens replacement: Cataract surgery that replaces the defective lens in your eye.
Lens implants: A contact lens is permanently inserted into the eye.
You should ask your optometrist about surgery for your symptoms of astigmatism while driving at night. Surgery costs about the same as orthokeratology, but the results are permanent.
Getting professional assistance for your astigmatism while driving at night
An optometrist can evaluate your vision and determine the severity of the problem, prescribe replacement glasses, or recommend surgery if night driving has become too difficult.
