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Many people struggle to see clearly at nighttime, whether they’re driving, going for a walk, or reading. Low light, glare, and contrast sensitivity all play a big role in your ability to see after sundown. Luckily, certain types of glasses can help you see better at night.
If you’re looking for ways to improve your night vision, keep reading to learn why it’s harder to see in low light and how the right pair of glasses can make a big difference.
Understanding Night Vision
First, let’s explore the mechanics of night vision. In low light, your pupils dilate to let in more light. However, this dilation reduces the depth of field and sharpness, making it hard to distinguish how far away objects are.
Furthermore, when it’s dark, the rods in your eyes take over from the cones. While rods are more light-sensitive, they lower your ability to perceive color and detail.
If you have poor night vision, it may be due to nearsightedness or other refractive errors, dry eyes, or aging lenses in the eyes. While driving, you may experience glare from oncoming headlights, especially if you have astigmatism, which can cause starbursts or a halo effect around lights.
While these issues are relatively common, corrective lenses and specialty coatings can help reduce their impact and help you see better at night.
How Glasses Can Help You See Better at Night
Let’s take a closer look at how glasses can help you see better at night.
- Updated prescription lenses: Even a slightly outdated prescription can make a big difference in night vision. That’s why it’s so important to keep up with eye exams as your vision changes over time.
- Anti-reflective coatings: If you want to reduce glare and halos from lights at night, try glasses with an anti-reflective coating, which can improve contrast and clarity.
- Lenses designed for driving at night: Some lenses are optimized for low light conditions, reducing reflections and increasing contrast.
- Blue light filtering: While blue light glasses aren’t made specifically to improve night vision, they can help you avoid eye strain in the evening hours, especially if you spend a lot of time looking at screens.
What Glasses Can’t Do for Night Vision
Unfortunately, glasses don’t amplify light like night-vision goggles. They can’t correct issues like cataracts or retinal problems, either; these conditions require medical care.
If you still struggle with night vision even with the right glasses, it’s important to get a comprehensive eye exam to rule out underlying eye conditions. This is especially true if driving at night feels unsafe or difficult, you notice worsening glare or halos, or you experience sudden vision changes, pain, or cloudiness.
Additional Tips for Seeing Better at Night
Whether you wear glasses or not, there are things you can do to see better at night, including:
- If you wear glasses, keep your lenses clean and smudge-free to avoid glare at night.
- Make sure your windshield is clean, as well.
- In general, avoid tinted lenses when driving at night, as they reduce visibility. However, yellow-tinted lenses may help reduce glare from bright headlights.
- While indoors, use proper lighting to avoid eye strain, especially while reading, crafting, or doing anything that requires small details.
- Visit your optometrist regularly to ensure your prescription is up to date.
Find the Perfect Glasses for Your Needs at Wolcott Optical
Glasses can absolutely help you see better at night, especially when you have the right prescription and anti-reflective lens coatings. For best results, it’s essential to seek professional guidance from the experts.
At Wolcott Optical, we offer an endless range of vision solutions. Whether you want to be able to see better at night, shield your eyes from the sun during the day, or make it easier to read small print, we’re here to help. From prescription glasses and contact lenses to blue light-blocking glasses and safety glasses, we have the tools you need to see the world more clearly.
If you want to see better at night, visit Wolcott Optical in Salt Lake City, Utah, today to explore your options, consult with our experienced team, and learn more about how the right pair of glasses can improve your night vision.
