Why Vision Insurance Is Essential (Especially for Nighttime Driving)
The gist:
Whether you’re an experienced driver or new to the road, nighttime driving presents many unique complications, like headlight glare from oncoming traffic.
There are many useful tips for driving at night, like anti-glare glasses lenses and keeping your windshield clean.
Even if you never needed glasses before, as you age, you may need corrective lenses for driving. Because of this, it’s important to maintain your vision health with annual visits to an eye doctor.
In this article:
What should I do if I’m having trouble seeing while driving at night?
How can regular visits to the eye doctor make nighttime driving easier?
Driving has been a core American experience experience for more than a century. And in recent years, driving has become a source of income for more people than ever thanks to rideshare services, delivery apps, and other gig work opportunities. If you’re one of these car-based independent contractors, you’re all too familiar with the eye strain that can come with nighttime driving in unfamiliar areas. Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to make driving at night a little easier.
If you’re wondering how to improve night vision for driving, you’ve come to the right place! Keep reading to learn our favorite tips for driving at night. Spoiler alert: It all starts with keeping your eyes healthy on and off the road.
What should I do if I’m having trouble seeing while driving at night?
The first thing you should do is schedule an appointment with an eye doctor, especially if you haven’t in a while. Most optometrists recommend a checkup once a year, even if you think your vision is good.
During your visit, be sure to tell your eye doctor if you’ve had any of the following issues during nighttime driving:
Oncoming headlights appear blurry or have halos around them
You have difficulty seeing lane markings
You need to drive well below the speed limit to stay safe
You have issues reading street or highway signs
You have problems judging the distance and speed of objects and vehicles on or near the road
Common vision problems that make nighttime driving difficult include:
Astigmatism: Typically defined as a slight misshaping in the curvature of your cornea or lens, astigmatism can cause halos or blurriness to occur when looking at bright lights at night. Astigmatism can be found in nearly 40 percent of adults, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH), so it might just be the culprit behind your blurry nighttime driving.
Getting older: No one wants to admit it, but your age impacts your vision. Maybe you had 20/20 vision back when you were 20, but even once-perfect eyes will start having problems with distance or up-close vision. In fact, the NIH estimates that millions of Americans over the age of 40 will experience some form of vision loss. When caught early via annual dilated checkups, issues like glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration can be treated or mitigated.
Other vision issues: If blurriness, halos, or other nighttime driving vision problems develop suddenly, it could mean more serious problems with your vision — see an eye doctor as soon as possible.
What are some tips for driving at night?
After you’ve seen an eye doctor, you might still be wondering how to improve night vision for driving. Fortunately, these simple tips might make nighttime driving a little easier:
Anti-glare lenses: No, not those cool yellow glasses from the infomercials that promise HD night vision — we’re talking about real, prescription glasses that are coated with an anti-glare material. If you drive a lot at night, you might want to talk to your eye doctor or glasses store about their anti-glare lens options.
Keep your windshield and mirrors clean: This seems like a bit of a no-brainer, but if you’re driving your car every day, you might not realize how dirty the windshield is. A little bit of glass cleaner and a roll of clean paper towels can go a long way toward making nighttime driving a little safer.
Dim your dashboard: Your dashboard console might be putting off more light than you think, leading to distortions and blurriness on your windshield. Dimming the dashboard can make a big difference.
Use your rearview mirror’s night setting: Rearview mirrors typically have a functionality that allows you to “flip” the mirror down so approaching headlights appear dimmer in the mirror. On more advanced vehicles, this might be a setting you need to adjust in the car’s options.
Avoid looking directly at headlights: This one’s easier said than done, but the more directly you look at LED headlights, the brighter they appear. Keep your eyes on the road, and you can avoid some of this glare.
How can regular visits to the eye doctor make nighttime driving easier?
If you’re still wondering how to improve night vision for driving, we recommend finding an eye doctor you like and visiting them annually. Most vision insurance plans make regular checkups affordable and pay for a large percentage of the cost of glasses and contact lenses.
Maintaining your vision health is essential if you want to keep driving, as many states require vision tests as part of license renewal. Regular checkups can help your eye doctor track and treat degenerative eye diseases that can make driving, or just getting around in general, very difficult. Once again, if you’re experiencing any blurriness or vision issues while driving at night, make an appointment with your eye doctor.
Do I need vision insurance?
Some eye doctors will offer lower-cost payment options to people who lack vision insurance, but these can be difficult to find or might require third-party coupons to receive the best deals.
Some out-of-pocket expenses you might pay for without vision insurance include:
Annual visits: Vision Center says that a check-up can cost anywhere from $50 to $250 without insurance, although this will vary based on the provider you choose.
Glasses: While there are more options than ever when it comes to shopping for eyewear, you could still end up paying hundreds of dollars for a new pair, according to the Fischer Institute. And that cost can skyrocket if you need special lenses or are looking for a specific style of frame.
Contact lenses: Depending on what type of lenses you use, you could end up paying anywhere from $150 to $1000 a year without vision insurance.
Surgery: Vision surgery can range wildly in price depending on the complexity of the operation. Cataract surgery, for example, can cost anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 per eye, according to the University of Central Florida.
Over the course of a year — between regular checkups, glasses, contact lenses, or any other treatment you may require — the cost of vision care can add up. But vision insurance is meant to offset these costs, which could result in huge out-of-pocket savings. Your vision plan will also help you navigate any paperwork needed for reimbursement, treatment, or other expenses. A comprehensive vision insurance plan should not cost an arm and a leg — premiums start at $9 a month.
If you do not currently have vision insurance, we recommend visiting Stride to see what plans are available to you. All you have to do is enter your ZIP code to get started.
Before you hit the road for your next big adventure, be sure to check in with an eye doctor — your nighttime driving eye strain could be an easily fixable issue, and we want you to stay safe out there!
