JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As the days begin to get shorter, many of us are spending more time commuting in the dark. For some, the combination of the darkness and the glare of the oncoming headlights can cause some visibility issues.
Cleveland Clinic's Dr. Rishi Singh says night driving issues can sometimes be a simple fix -- like cleaning dirty lenses -- but other times it can be a sign of a bigger problem.
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“It could be something more significant like a corneal problem or they have some astigmatism that’s uncorrected, or it could be something more significant like a cataract that needs to be addressed and evaluated,” Singh explained.
Some of the newer, ultra-bright headlights are the most bothersome for drivers. Singh says the ultra-bright lights do not pose any danger to our eyes because we’re typically only exposed to them for a short period of time.
“Short periods of time or things like that are not a big deal -- they don’t cause photo toxicity or problems in the eye at all,” he said.
Singh says some who have a hard time with headlight glare are able to reduce vision problems with tinted lenses or even tinted windshields on their car. Adjusting the rearview mirror to reduce the brightness of the cars behind you can also help.
While it's normal to notice some changes in your eyes as you age, Singh says there are some warning signs that should not be ignored.
“It’s okay to have it occasionally at nighttime, or more constantly at nighttime when you have a real issue or a known issue going on, it’s when it happens during the day and especially with a decrease in vision or decrease in your visual field where you really want to get an evaluation by an optometrist or ophthalmologist for that condition,” Singh explained.
Singh says anytime you notice a significant change in your vision -- either during the night or during the day -- it's a good idea to have an evaluation by an eye doctor.