Ok, I need driving glasses. Not so much for changes in my vision, although theres a bit of that too, I am middle aged. But mostly its climate change. Without snow, a lot of the winter is pitch black, with wet black tarmac and poor street lighting. In fact, one of the roads I dread has no lights, and I drive the opposite direction from most traffic, so I get a lot of oncoming headlights.
I got no idea what I should be looking for. Asides from vision correction that is. Searches has shown me an amazing number of terms and types. They are for driving in the dark, with dark roads and some oncoming traffic. Any advice ?
I figure I’ll also get some sunglasses with perscription while I am at it. Anything I should know about that ?
Get your eyes examined by an ophthalmologist (not an optometrist). He will examine your eyes in ways an optometrist is unable to. Tell him your problems and what you want as a result. It would not surprise me if you are developing cataracts.
As far as the prescription sunglasses go, I hope you aren’t planning on using them at night.
An Optometrist should be able to spot cataracts, but there may be additional issues that he can’t determine.
My wife and I both have had cataract surgery with replacement lenses. I’ve never had an issue seeing in dim light or in the dark, she has always had the issue. So she does not drive after dark.
So far as sunglasses go, I prefer a brownish warm tint with polarization. The polarization helps eliminate the glare from the roadway as well as other non specular reflections.
I need glasses to see distances, and the ophthalmologist said that when wearing the correct prescription, I should not have problems with glare from oncoming headlights. So it may simply be a matter of getting the correct prescription.
Thank you. But as my father had some potentially inheritable eye issues, I’ve been getting yearly appointments with an ophthalmologist yearly since I was 40. When I asked him this year if I should consider driving glasses, he said I am not legally required to, my vision is within the required parameters. But he opined that glasses would improve my acuity, and in the new climate, every bit helps. So it is recommended.
I though that was going to be fairly easy, but google returns a snowstorm of terms and varieties.
So, you already have a prescription and you are looking for recommendations as to types. Is that it?
You are calling them driving glasses, but I think you are actually talking about glasses for distance. Start by explaining that. Ask for polarized, anti-glare lenses. You have a few options for handling brightness. One would be lenses that darken in bright conditions, and become clear inside or at night. Transitions is a well-known brand. Another option would be to get two pairs of glasses: one with just the anti-glare and polarization, and one that is sunglasses.
I would suggest that you go to a glasses store to get fitted properly the first time through this. You can absolutely order online if you’ve got your prescription, but it can be tricky to get the fit right. Your ophthalmologist may also sell frames and lenses.
Agree with what the other posters have said. Also recommend getting a car with adaptive headlights. Should Your New Car Have Adaptive Headlights? - Cartelligent
My car has them and it greatly improves drivability at night for me. Not sure if you can install them aftermarket though.
I think this depends on where you are. In Ontario, I can see an Opthamalgist (an MD with a specialization in the eyes, often performs surgery too) or an Optometrist (a specialized professional with a degree, but not a medical doctor). I see an optometrist who checks for glaucoma, takes picture of my retina, and does other high tech tests that my old Opthamalgist did not perform. Both perform refractions and check for diabetic changes.
Before you buy polarized sunglasses, try a pair in your car first because they might not be compatible with Liquid Crystal Displays on your dash. Also, you might be able to get graduated sunglasses that are darker at the top than bottom so you can better see your gauges as you look down.
I have prescription sunglasses. Go with polarized anti glare and all the enhancements. Mine are several prescriptions old (a decade or so?) but since I don’t use them to read, just for outdoor activities, perfect vision is not a requirement. The cost is then worth it. ETA: but they make POS terminals almost impossible to use. Certain screens are basically impossible to read with them on.
Former longtime certified optician here. The OP says that they’ll be for driving at night. Polarized lenses are a huge no-no for night driving. They reduce incoming light, which will make night driving even more dangerous. You should take your prescription to a certified (or licensed, if you’re lucky enough to live in one of the minority of states that require it) optician. Ask the optician if they’re ABO certified. If they are, they’ll have a certificate (I had - still have- a framed certificate that was displayed prominently wherever I worked and a wallet sized reproduction) and will be glad to show it to you. If they try to downplay its importance, or worse don’t know what it is, go somewhere else.
