# If you are blinded/dazzling by oncoming headlights at night fairly regularly... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 16, 2013, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-blinded-dazzling-by-oncoming-headlights-at-night-fairly-regularly/647350 "2013-01-16T02:38:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-blinded-dazzling-by-oncoming-headlights-at-night-fairly-regularly/647350/1 "2013-01-16T02:38:08Z")
I only mention this cause not a lot of people know this, but a competently trained opto-whatever they call them in the US can prescribe you spectacles that will cut out almost all the dazzling. Yes, obviously you can buy yellow lenses from chemists that do some good (allegedly - I think this is controversial) - but the major major point is that your prescription changes at night. I don’t know if everyone becomes more myopic (cause I dunno much about this other than the basics) but I certainly do. I have a set of glasses for night driving and it cuts out 95% of the dazzle from oncoming lights, and there is only the slightest tint to them - basically it’s all coming from the teeny weeny change in prescription. I post this thread because, like I said, most people don’t realise this. Go and speak to your optical professional person and get somethign sorted out for night driving. **Make sure it’s a night prescription not a day one**. And if they don’t know about the difference, go get a competent one. I hope this public service announcement helps y’all out! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-blinded-dazzling-by-oncoming-headlights-at-night-fairly-regularly/647350/2 "2013-01-16T03:57:55Z")
Thank you! This has been troubling me lately, and I go to the optometrist on Thursday! ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-blinded-dazzling-by-oncoming-headlights-at-night-fairly-regularly/647350/3 "2013-01-16T04:27:03Z")
Glad to help. Basically no one knows this so I am being something of an evangalist for it, and would appreciate it if you are too! ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-blinded-dazzling-by-oncoming-headlights-at-night-fairly-regularly/647350/4 "2013-01-16T06:53:14Z")
Perhaps slightly off-topic, but does this have anything to do with eye color, as well? I have light blue eyes and I’m quite light-sensitive. Not just to broad sunlight and headlamps at night, but even in a bright overcast. The only time I feel comfortable with ambient outdoor light is on heavily-overcast days. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-blinded-dazzling-by-oncoming-headlights-at-night-fairly-regularly/647350/5 "2013-01-16T13:45:11Z")
Cool idea, but two pairs of glasses would be expensive as fuck, even with insurance (the majority of the cost is the lenses, not fancy designer frames, just to head that off at the pass. :D). I know there are online places like Zenni who are cheap, but how would you ask for a night prescription there (or know that they know what that is)? ---
**Author:** ![Jimson\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@Jimson\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimson_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-blinded-dazzling-by-oncoming-headlights-at-night-fairly-regularly/647350/6 "2013-01-16T14:03:47Z")
Why not just close one eye for the moment the other car approaches and passes you? I close my dominant eye for the 2-3 seconds when the other car is closest. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-blinded-dazzling-by-oncoming-headlights-at-night-fairly-regularly/647350/7 "2013-01-16T14:10:09Z")
I only wear classes when driving at night at speeds at or above about 60 mph. Simple Linctus is right. My vision is about 20x35 still legal but the glare gives me trouble without glasses. I use a normal prescription and it helps a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-blinded-dazzling-by-oncoming-headlights-at-night-fairly-regularly/647350/8 "2013-01-16T14:14:18Z")
> [@Jimson\_Jim](#): > > Why not just close one eye for the moment the other car approaches and passes you? I close my dominant eye for the 2-3 seconds when the other car is closest. Well, if the other road has a constant stream of headlights, you can’t go around driving like you’re Popeye.