driving at night any ideas

I have an anti-glare coating on my glasses and that does help.

I have special yellow anti-glare glasses and it helps.

But honestly, if you have banned yourself, you must have good reasons, and probably right to have done so.

Not expensive either, and you can wear your own glasses under

www.amazon.co.uk/Driving-Glasses-Anti-glare-Eyewear-Polarized/dp/B07KSZ3GSM?tag=gransnetforum-21

Yellow anti glare glasses are good, then there's covering the top of dash board with a strip of black velvet. It cuts down reflections on the wind screen.

I change my route home from work in the winter, it’s longer, but it means I don’t have to join the motorway from a slip road, I have trouble making out which lanes the traffic behind me are in, I’ve got those lights on my wing mirrors, but don’t totally trust them.

Why? Do lights ‘arc’? Are you routinely dazzled? Cataracts can cause real night vision problems. Do you need an eye test or are you just nervous?
Yes I know, a lot of questions, but is your fear due to anxiety or physiological reasons?

I bought yellow anti-glare glasses from Amazon as well. They're a great help.

I absolutely agree Willynilly - I have recently been diagnosed with cataracts. I went to the optician for a regular eye test and mentioned before we started that I was being dazzled when driving. Cataract op in a week, can’t wait to be able to see properly again , and more to the point, be safe on the road .

Last year I mentioned night driving problems to my Optician and asked if special spectacles could be prescribed to help.I was told they wouldn't do anything as I had beginnings of Cataract. I then saw a Consultant,had to go Private,who confirmed this to be the problem.He said slight,scattered Cataracts more likely to affect night driving than more dense Cataracts.I had the Cataract removed and night vision much improved.I had stooped night driving but started again since the Op.
I had to have OP done Privately because it seems that,in this area at least,you need to have near blindness to have Cataracts done on NHS .

I have had both cataracts removed, followed by laser treatment and there is no way I would be safe to drive in the dark! My husband bought a pair of the night driving glasses from Amazon but although he wears them, is not too impressed.

I wear yellow glasses over my specs, the same ones I wear when driving into the sun. Most older people will have difficulty at night in unlit roads. Adaptation reduces with age eg we cannot see so quickly when coming in from bright sun . It is a natural aging process. So drive in a lower gear, so that you feel that you have more control, use main beam if in the front and no vehicle is coming. Stay aware of where the side of the road is and remain focused on the centre line if car headlights are coming towards you

I have decided to only travel short familiar routes at night, there are always those inconsiderates on the road coming towards us who drive too fast and who don`t bother dipping main beam. 25 minutes last night in damp mucky conditions was enough for me. The whole road is 40/30 mph and too narrow for overtaking, which helps

I wear spectacles, have done for 52 years and see an optician regularly. We need to be aware of driving limitations and safety

I recently had an eye test at Boots and I was offered a new anti-glare 'Drive Safe' product from Zeiss. It is said to be more effective than the previous anti-glare products but, of course, it is more expensive. I declined because I don't drive very often at night but it could be worth exploring. This is a link to Boots. Other spectacle providers are available (but I don't know if they all offer this product).

www.boots.com/opticians/zeiss-drivesafe-lenses-

I had cataracts removed but I am still dazzled so I never drive at night. I got the yellow tint glasses and wear them if I’m a passenger. However I have read that they make the dark places more difficult to see in so are dangerous. Look this up .

Anti glare glasses make no difference if the problem is a cataract. I have a cataract...hopefully next eye test will get me a referral. I have trouble with driving at night because of the bicycle wheel type glare I get from lights. I do avoid it as much as do can.h

There was a discussion about this on Jeremy Vine’s radio show the other week. Apparently more and more people are struggling driving at night because of the newer led lights in new car headlights. I’m 47 and thought it was because I’m getting older but I really struggle when night driving these days, perhaps it down to that. I don’t drive a night much but will get some night driving glasses to see if it helps.

My husband has spent a fortune on anti glare lenses for night driving. They made no difference but he has just been told that he is just starting with cataracts and that will be the cause of his problem with night driving. They are in the very early stages and no where near bad enough to even think about removing so he will have to struggle on for ages yet.

I have anti-glare glazing on my prescription lenses which work great in sunlight but car lights at night seem extra bright and I find it most noticeable if I am on a narrow winding road with lots of traffic coming the other way. It's ok if someone is in front as you can just follow their tail lights or I slow up.
I did read that our eyes don't see so well in the dark as we get older so I wonder if that is a factor as well.

I wear multi-zone (combined near and long distance) contact lenses and they do really weird things to lights at night. Took me ages to adapt to night driving (crawling along at 20 mph the first time I drove at night). I was very cross that the optician didn't warn me about this when I first got them. It wasn't until my first follow up appointment a couple of weeks later when I raised this, that he casually dismissed it by saying they always do that. I've got used to it now, but was terrified at first.

Please get a proper eye test from (preferably) an independent optometrist (optician)! I take a dim view (pardon the pun) of Boots etc. selling people expensive products. You need an honest opinion, as Lizbeth's experience illustrates! I also have early cataracts and suffer a second 'ghost' image from headlights and streetlights. My optometrist referred me to Ophthalmology for investigations because, although he could see the cataracts, there are several other more serious conditions which might also present in this way. These were eliminated by various tests, which was reassuring. I know that ultimately, I will need surgery on the cataracts, but at least I know I'm not losing my sight to something more sinister.

I have just bought some expensive Zeiss lenses which the Optician recommended. They are brilliant at night, cutting out glare, making everything beautifully clear. I have had one cataract done but the other is not sufficiently advanced to be done on the NHS. But if you can manage without driving in the dark & feel happier not to, trust your instincts.

My husband recently got some of the yellow ones that sit on top of his regular glasses. He's only used them a couple of times so far as he avoids night driving. However he tells me they are a great improvement. Cost under ten pounds inc p&p online. He does say - ensure you give both sets of glasses a proper clean with lense wipes. He agrees its the modern headlights. He has eye tests regularly & voluntarily had an assessment with an advanced driving instructor (got top marks but also learnt some useful tips).

My husband has tried those anti glare glasses to no avail.
Our son and family live 4/5 hours away down the unlit A1 . We have to go early morning when weekend visiting and return Sunday lunch time during winter months.
Independent optician says its an age thing and fancy glasses don't help. We just adjust our live to suit

A cataract op. may make all the world of difference, it certainly has to me.

However I do think we need to be sensible about the disadvantages of becoming older. I have stopped riding a two wheeled bike as I didn't feel save on it any longer.

If you really are scared driving at night then you are right to stop.

Thank you grandtanteJE for positive comments about cataracts.I was beginning to feel rather pessimistic and anxious about having mine done, after reading some of the comments .