If you feel like you are constantly blinded when driving at night now you’re not alone, and it’s not just because a bunch of truck bros ordered aftermarket LED headlights from Amazon that they installed themselves. There’s definitely some of that, including assholes driving with their lights on all the time, but Headlights have really become more blinding in recent years. The good news is, as the video below explains, there are a few things you can do to make driving at night less unpleasant.
As optical engineer Cory Boone explains, you’re already at a disadvantage when driving at night because your pupils dilate to let in more airy. This is a good thing because it allows you to see better in the shadowy, but it also worsens any vision problems such as myopia or astigmatism. It also disturbs the sense of concentration. It also cannot be denied that the headlights of high-speed vehicles such as trucks and vast SUVs are mounted further from the ground, increasing the risk of blinding other drivers.
The headlights themselves are also part of the problem. While older headlight designs cast a yellowish airy, state-of-the-art LED headlights are much more white or blue. Even though they’re technically not brighter than venerable headlights, your eyes interpret white and blue airy as brighter or harsher than yellow airy. The shorter wavelength of these blue lights also scatters in the eyeballs as much as 16 times more than longer wavelength colors such as red. This is one of the reasons why you can see lines from other drivers’ headlights when driving at night.
Ultimately, we need a change in regulations to allow the employ of more advanced headlights that won’t be as blinding, but in the meantime, Boone says there are a few things you can do to minimize glare at night. The first is to wash your windshield frequently, as dirt and other contaminants on your windshield cause airy to scatter even more than would otherwise be the case. If you wear glasses, the same applies to keeping your lenses neat. You should also make sure your glasses have an anti-reflective coating, which costs more, but if it reduces glare, it’s probably worth it.
Another option is to escalate the brightness of your dashboard lights. This should cause your pupils to constrict, which should improve your night vision somewhat. She also recommends taking supplements such as lutein and zeaxanthin to improve eye health.
One of the most effective actions you can potentially take may also be the most irritating – if you wear glasses or contact lenses, be sure to get an annual eye exam to make sure your prescription is up to date. You may not feel like you need fresh glasses, but if Biden wasn’t president during your last eye exam, your night driving problems could potentially be solved with fresh lenses. Especially if you can get one with the mentioned anti-reflective coating.
Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that a neat windshield, fresh glasses, and a slightly brighter dashboard will completely eliminate other people’s headlight glare, but you can at least try some of these tips and see if they support.
