Suggestions for Safer Daytime and Nighttime Driving

In addition to visiting your eye doctor every year for a comprehensive eye exam (twice a year if you have severe refractive errors or an eye disease), learning how to take advantage of safe driving tips can significantly reduce your risk for being involved in an accident. In addition to distracted driving, driving at night represents nearly 40 percent of all vehicle accidents even though there is 65 percent less traffic on roads after 10:00 pm.

What You Can Do to Improve Driving Safety

• If you need to wear corrective lenses, always wear prescription sunglasses while driving in bright sunshine. Polarized prescription lenses not only reduce glare but also sharpen images and increase your visual acuity. Choose sunglasses with narrow rather than broad temples. Temples or rims can distract or block your vision.
• Use your side mirrors and rearview mirrors frequently. Glancing at these mirrors every few minutes eases eyestrain and helps you monitor traffic activity on either side of your vehicle.
• Make sure you can see clearly over your dashboard by adjusting your seat. You should be able to see the road without the dashboard impeding your view.
• Reduce light distraction inside your vehicle when driving at night by dimming your instrument panel lights.
• Avoid staring at oncoming headlight beams from other cars, especially high beams. If the automobile behind you is using its high beams, adjust your rearview mirror by moving it slightly up to reflect high beams back at the driver.
• While remaining focused on what is in front of you while driving, it's a good idea to scan your vision field to avoid eye fatigue symptoms such as blurry vision and watery eyes.

Drivers with Cataracts or Glaucoma

People with undiagnosed glaucoma or cataracts experience higher rates of traffic accidents than those with normal vision due to being unaware of problems with their

• Peripheral vision
• Reduced contrast sensitivity
• Increased glare

Glaucoma and cataracts are eye diseases that normally do not present noticeable symptoms until the disease has reached an advanced stage. Also, vision impairment happens gradually, often taking a decade or more before the person with cataracts or glaucoma realizes something is seriously wrong with their vision.

Call Us To Schedule An Appointment!

To schedule an eye exam appointment with Dr. Papernick, please call our office at 724-547-5711