That Pesky Night Glare…

A complaint that is becoming more common in my practice is trouble with night glare. Especially with the newer headlights (you know, the ones with the blue tint that seem 10 times brighter when they’re coming at you?), things seem to be worse.

My night vision seems to be holding its own (I am in the 40+ club, which is the prime demographic for this). But I thought I would try an old solution anyway. I had my opticians put yellow-tinted lenses in a pair of glasses, and I wore them when I was driving in dark conditions. They did seem to attenuate the brightness of the oncoming headlights, without decreasing my clarity, or making things seem dark. So, they did not limit my vision in any way. The true impact of the lenses was shown to me through my daughter. She was suffering from a headache due to a blow to the head. This resulted in glare sensitivity, especially at night. I gave her the glasses to try, and she found an instant relief to the brightness. She even wore them to school for a few days to help with the glare from the fluorescents. Luckily, the headache has resolved, and she no longer wears them. This has shown me however that a yellow-tinted lens is a good option for those suffering from night glare. They may not get rid of it altogether, but they should make a driver more comfortable with their night driving. So, for anyone with this complaint, have heart. There is something that can be used to help with the glare.