Night vision Safe – driving in the dark with Ivan R Cammack

Night driving needn’t be a nightmare

Winter. Less daylight hours means we are driving in the dark more. Ivan Cammack Optometrists are here to help nervous night time drivers.

I have a long commute from work each day and every year around this time I start to dread driving home.

Leaving the luminous overhead lighting of the office and stepping into the already dark 5pm evening is quite the contrast and I often feel uneasy about joining the rush hour traffic.

I went to see my optometrist for my routine eye examination and at the end of my appointment I was asked if I had any questions or concerns that I would like to discuss. Feeling a little embarrassed, I mentioned that I was losing confidence when driving in the dark. My optometrist, Ivan Cammack, reassured me that I was not alone in feeling this and that 1/3 of drivers in the UK have reported feeling very uncomfortable driving at night and a staggering 91% of drivers are regularly dazzled by headlights.

Ivan then went on to explain that there are a few things I can do to help regain my confidence. He started off explaining that our eyes can take a few minutes to adjust to dark conditions, he suggested that once I’m in the car I take some time to allow my eyes to get used to the reduced light intake before setting off. The first time I did this, I found that I was much more confident than I had been on the same journey the day before.
Next, Ivan recommended that I continue the trend of getting my annual Comprehensive Eye Examination to make sure that we spot anything that could make driving in the dark even more of a challenge, for example the development of cataracts. He said that now I’ve turned 50 I’m at the age where this becomes one of the routine checks that he will undertake for me each time I visit. This, along with the thorough eye examination, gave me the peace of mind I needed that my eyes are in the best condition they can be for night driving.

Finally, we discussed spectacles. My prescription had changed slightly from last year which, Ivan said, will help to explain some of the difficulty I was having. I am short-sighted so I am entirely reliant on my spectacles for driving. Ivan asked whether I had a spare pair, I didn’t, I sheepishly admitted. He noted that if anything was to happen to my existing pair of spectacles I would run the risk of not being able to get to work, or worse, being stuck there! He then said that given the change in my prescription I should consider getting a new pair of spectacles and keeping my existing ones as a back-up.

Ivan further explained that the same company that made the lenses that I love in my existing spectacles have developed a lens that has been optimised for increased comfort when driving at night! Curious as to how these lenses work, I probed further and was told that the lenses have a coating that reflects most of the wavelengths that bother our eyes and that helps to reduce the glare we get from oncoming traffic, particularly helpful for those harsh LED headlights. “That’s great!” I exclaimed, “but what about when I’m working? I need to be able to see for closer work too”. “Not to worry”, Ivan said, “these lenses can be made as varifocals, so you’ll be able to wear them all day at work as well as for your drive home”. “Perfect, how soon can I get them?” I eagerly asked.

I went back to the opticians two weeks later to collect my new spectacles. Excited for the upgrade, I sat down with Elizabeth who took the time to make sure they were fitting comfortably and that I was confident using varifocals. I’d purposely booked an evening appointment so that I could test them out properly on the drive home, but I have to say I was instantly impressed with the clarity of the lenses. Once I got in the car and started my journey, I was delighted to see that the oncoming headlights didn’t feel quite as harsh and that general glare was significantly reduced.

My new spectacles have made such a difference to my confidence driving at night and I no longer dread the journey home. I have had lots of compliments on my beautiful new spectacle frame and as much as I love it, it’s the lenses I end up telling everyone about!

Ivan R Cammack (Optometrists)
Bringing Quality to Eyecare.

Appointment Booking 01844 212048

Ivan R Cammack (Thame)
T. 01844 212048
E. info@ivancammack.com

Thame: 01844 212048
Chinnor: 01844 351564
Wendover: 01296 625892

You can read more articles like this one in the latest edition of Thame Out.