Cataracts can make nighttime driving more difficult by reducing contrast and increasing glare from headlights and streetlights. Because cataracts usually develop gradually, you may adjust to the changes without realizing how much your night vision has declined. Recognizing the warning signs can help you decide when to limit nighttime driving and schedule an eye exam.
What Are Cataracts?
A cataract is a cloudy area in the normally clear lens of the eye. Most cataracts are related to aging and develop slowly. As they progress, they may cause blurry or hazy vision, faded colors, glare, halos around lights, and difficulty seeing in dim conditions.
How Can Cataracts Affect Night Driving?
At night, cataracts can make road signs, lane markings, pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles harder to see. Headlights from oncoming cars may create glare, halos, or starbursts, and your eyes may take longer to recover after exposure to bright light. Reduced contrast can also make it more difficult to judge distance or notice hazards against a dark background.
Warning signs include slowing down more than usual, missing turns or road signs, feeling uncomfortable when headlights approach, or avoiding unfamiliar roads after dark.
How Can I Make Night Driving Safer?
If you do not feel confident or cannot see the road clearly, do not drive at night. Arrange a ride, use a rideshare service, or travel during daylight. If you continue driving, these steps may help reduce risk:
- Keep your glasses prescription current and wear any corrective lenses required for driving.
- Keep your windshield, mirrors, headlights, and glasses clean.
- Increase your following distance and allow extra time to respond to traffic changes.
- Choose familiar, well-lit routes and avoid driving at dawn, dusk, at night, or in poor weather when visibility is limited.
- Do not wear sunglasses or tinted lenses at night because they reduce the amount of light reaching your eyes.
Can Cataract Treatment Improve Night Driving?
An updated glasses or contact lens prescription may improve vision during the early stages of a cataract, although it may not eliminate glare. Surgery is the only way to remove a cataract and may be recommended when vision changes interfere with safe driving or other daily activities. During surgery, the cloudy natural lens is replaced with a clear artificial lens.
Cataracts do not usually require emergency surgery, but increasing difficulty with night driving is a good reason to schedule a comprehensive eye exam and discuss whether surgery is appropriate.
About the Author
Dr. Jordana Chettiparampil is a licensed therapeutic optometrist and a graduate of the University of Houston College of Optometry. She is a member of the American Optometric Association and the Texas Optometric Association. At Richmond Eye Experts, she diagnoses and monitors cataracts and coordinates referrals for cataract surgery when appropriate. To schedule an eye exam, use the online booking tool or call (832) 685-2020.