Sensitivity to oncoming car lights

Basq

Hope this is the right forum for this... it was either here or Motors.

Basically, since maybe November / December (evenings getting darker) earlier I find the lights from oncoming cars (both when I'm driving or walking) is really irritating my eyes.

It's been a while since I've had an eye-test.. probably 3-4 years but my eyesight is pretty top-notch.

Could it be a sensitivity to light.. anyone else suffer from there or hear about it? Anything I can do about it, bar wearing sunglasses at night when driving (probably not the safest)!

The odd thing is that I've been waking up often on Saturday / Sunday mornings with a headache. At first, I thought it was due to a bit of a sleep-in (maybe 9.30 - 10am) when compared to weekday mornings (8.15am for work).. but I'm wondering is it linked because the mornings are brighter.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

endplate

Your best bet really is to go and visit an Optician. There can be a number of reasons whay you are recently suffering from glare.

You can get clear lenses with a anti glare coating which is a complex coating consisting of about 12 to 13 layers each designed to conteract different spectrums of light. Anti glare coatings also vary in quality too. Fom the cheap basic type which smudges quite a bit to a premium high quality coating which are hydrophobic, anti static fights smudging and better anti glare qualities.

BostonB

First stop optician and gp to rule out everything else.

On a general point. Cars these days have very bright lights. Especially new ones.
Some of them are like headlights even on dim.

Basq

Thanks guys.

endplate wrote: »

You can get clear lenses with a anti glare coating which is a complex coating consisting of about 12 to 13 layers each designed to conteract different spectrums of light. Anti glare coatings also vary in quality too. Fom the cheap basic type which smudges quite a bit to a premium high quality coating which are hydrophobic, anti static fights smudging and better anti glare qualities.

I suppose I was just slightly averse to the idea of any type of glasses because my eyesight is still top-notch..

.. but if I need glasses for driving, it wouldn't bother me.

BostonB wrote: »

On a general point. Cars these days have very bright lights. Especially new ones.
Some of them are like headlights even on dim.

True..

.. for a long time, I was complaining I kept meeting cars driving with their fog lights on, but it's definitely not that!

Anyways, will make an appointment at an optician this week.

BostonB

My dad used to have pair of sodium yellow lensed glasses (non prescription) in the car. Decades ago. Certainly helped with glare. Something like these

http://metroeyewear.co.uk/acatalog/METRO_NIGHT_DRIVING_GLASSES.html

Basq

They look interesting actually BostonB.

Worst thing that'll happen is I'll be mistaken for Bono!

Foggles

endplate wrote: »

Your best bet really is to go and visit an Optician. There can be a number of reasons whay you are recently suffering from glare.

You can get clear lenses with a anti glare coating which is a complex coating consisting of about 12 to 13 layers each designed to conteract different spectrums of light. Anti glare coatings also vary in quality too. Fom the cheap basic type which smudges quite a bit to a premium high quality coating which are hydrophobic, anti static fights smudging and better anti glare qualities.

The anti glare coatings you get on lenses only cut down on the glare created by the reflections off those lenses and so are no good to someone who does not need a refractive correction.

My advise is to have your eyes examined ASAP by your Optometrist. The symptoms you are describing could mean several different things most of which have better outcomes they sooner they are identified and treated.

endplate

Foggles wrote: »

The anti glare coatings you get on lenses only cut down on the glare created by the reflections off those lenses and so are no good to someone who does not need a refractive correction.

Anti reflective coatings work as well for somebody with or without a prescription. I have a small prescription not enought to require wearing glasses. But I tried the anti reflective coatings and they did make a difference (until somebody robbed them from my car:(). I don't get glare problems but I can get free lenses so I decided to try them out. And boy did it make a difference while driving at night. My eyes were more relaxed and long journeys were less tiring. I know I'm in the buisness but I really recommend the anti reflective coating for anybody.

Foggles

If you do wear glasses with little or no prescription, and I know many people do, then glasses with the and anti-glare coating is certainly better than glasses without the coating. I did not mean to suggest that was not the case.

However if you have no prescription & do not wear glasses and do not need to wear glasses then an anti-glare coating will not benefit you.

endplate

Anti glare reduces fatigue on the eyes so it can be a benefit to people even without prescription. I don't understand how you think it can't benefit everyone.

BostonB

Anti-reflection has a bigger effect on prescription lenses. Or lenses with a high refraction index. I'm guessing, Other types of glasses which reduce glare might use a different technology.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-reflective_coating

Basq

Went to Specsavers this morning for an eye-test... all came clear thankfully.

Was told my eyes look very healthy actually. And i'm ever so slightly short-sighted (0.25) but not enough to warrant use of glasses.

Asked about the sensitivity to light and was told that because of my blue eyes (they're sorta off-blue), I'd be more sensitive to light. She said if it really bothers me, I can go down the route of getting anti-glare. But that the evenings will be getting brighter now so they probably won't bother me as much.

Bit of a weight off my shoulders to be honest.