Content starts here
CLOSE ×

Search

Do yellow wrap glasses help w/ night driving?

Reply
Regular Contributor

Do yellow wrap glasses help w/ night driving?

Have more concern when driving in dark areas or at sunset. Have seen those wrap around $10 TV specials for years and know they must be garbage. Saw another version recently and wondered about them. Can those glasses over regular glasses help in certain diminished light situations?  Make dark roads more visible beyond the white line? My one friend who purchased 2 pair doesn't seem to know more than he sees beautiful rose colored mountains while driving in daylight. 

 

0 Kudos
18,187 Views
24
Report
Trusted Contributor

they do cut down on glare a bit.  I would simply try out a pair.  Get a pair, find a parking lot.  Drive with them on, during the day.  Then drive with them on just as the sun is setting.  And again, when it is fully dark.  I would get that sense of them, before going on the road at night.  One of the things they tend to well, is cut down on the glare from oncoming headlights.  And street lights.  So, I would carefully go out at night, drive around the block...a little longer, a little longer...and just see what they do.

0 Kudos
76 Views
0
Report
Bronze Conversationalist

Is it me or does anyone else have issues with oncoming traffic with these new "projection" headlamps?  They tend to "dazzle" and are a great annoyance even when behind you.  Especially bad with Pickups & higher SUV's

 

I miss my auto dimming rearview & my tinted rear window. 

4,408 Views
2
Report
Honored Social Butterfly

@Tempest332 - Yes, my husband I were just discussing this. How it can be legal to have those bright-white lights! You have to stare at the line on the road just so you can get passed them. I have the press-pull manual setting for my brights, and not a fan of this auto-tuning mechanism deciding when brights should be on vs when they shouldn't be on. 🙂

 


@Tempest332 wrote:

Is it me or does anyone else have issues with oncoming traffic with these new "projection" headlamps?  They tend to "dazzle" and are a great annoyance even when behind you.  Especially bad with Pickups & higher SUV's

 

I miss my auto dimming rearview & my tinted rear window. 

4,403 Views
1
Report
Bronze Conversationalist

@KellytheBelly  I think you are referring to the new "adaptive" lights, I didn't think many vehicles had these yet (BMW's, Audis & some VW's)*, actually I don't find the BMW's to be offensive.  It's these projector lenses, & really the angle they are hitting your eyes. On the Pickups the lamps are too high.  Many on the Jeeps are aftermarket & not street legal. Noted these newer lights illuminate the overhead signs on the freeway when these vehicles are behind me, where mine don't unless I have my brights on. 

 

*Noted some Honda models are using these. 

 

Had this discussion with my eye Dr. a couple times.  Hard to believe headlamp regulations hadn't changed since the 1960's. 

0 Kudos
4,362 Views
0
Report
Newbie

Yes they help. Many seniors used them from Aging Resource Centers. They are not garbage at all. Just not helpful for night driving though. 

11,617 Views
0
Report
Newbie

Yellow glasses help with anti -glare from snow. They do not help with night driving. They are worth getting and do work if you want to help with glare for reasons others than night driving and headlights. I like the goggle wrap around type that go over glasses. 

11,617 Views
0
Report
Regular Contributor

Hi, there...

 

I had two sets as I battle seeing and driving at night. My first set was barely yellow, it had a very faint tint and worker wonderfully. They didn't change the color of objects, etc during the day and only had a yellow tint at night when there were lights from the front. However, I lost them and had to get another pair. This pair was so not the same. They were actually yellow and did not work at all. I got both pairs from an ophthalmologist, yet, one worked wonders and the other not at all 🙂

 

Hope this helps 🙂

Thanks for sharing and caring 🙂

14,127 Views
1
Report
Regular Contributor

You are one of only 2 who responded saying they had purchased some type of yellow glasses. I really appreciate your input.  Sounds as though your optomotrist/ophthalmologist was a sales person and not focused on your eyes.  Guess the supplier changed and your original lighter tint was not as easily found.  You deserved better service and should have been offered an alternative to match your first glasses.  Good luck.  I will stay away from the $10-$20 "As-Seen-On-TV" Offers.  

14,113 Views
0
Report
Social Butterfly

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/g106/10-safety-tips-for-driving-after-dark/

 

Have you seen ads proclaiming that yellow-tint sunglasses will help you see better at night? Don't believe them. The Sunglass Association of America says that yellow-lens glasses sold for night driving only make you think you see better. 

The thought behind these glasses is that they might enhance contrast, helping you to distinguish objects in the dark. In reality, these hokey glasses actually cut down on the amount of light you can see. The smart choice is to use prescription glasses that have an anti-reflective coating, which keeps light from bouncing around inside your lenses. And as a bonus, these glasses have been shown to allow more light in. 

Thank you so much, covfefe, and good night!
-- Anna Kendrick
18,192 Views
2
Report
Regular Contributor

Thanks for your response. Received several in agreement with you. 

14,109 Views
0
Report
Regular Contributor

Thanks for the response.  Wondered since I have never noticed anyone wearing them. 

 

14,138 Views
0
Report
Social Butterfly

http://www.laramyk.com/your-edge-independence/

 

The Dangers of Night Driving Glasses

 

 [W]hen driving at night or dusk in already

limited lighting conditions, ANY tint further

reduces the amount of light transmitted

to the eye, and consequently, further impairs vision

 

"Yellow 'Night Driving' lenses have been shown to

provide no benefit in seeing ability at night.
They are even hazardous, because they give

the driver a feeling of seeing better, which

no one has yet been able to explain.

Studies have shown that they actually

impair visual performance and

retard glare recovery. Many promoters have

made unfounded claims for the ability of

amber to improve night vision. They have

employed mass solicitation, usually by mail.

The Federal Trade Commission has correctly

ruled that such practices are illegal since the

lenses do not perform as claimed.

" - Forensic Aspects of Vision and

Highway Safety", Merrill J. Allen, O.D., Ph.D., Et al.

 

Tips for optimal night time driving vision:
- Make sure eyes are examined regularly
- Always wear an up-to-date prescription
- Lenses worn should be clear with an AR coating
- Ensure lenses are clean
- Ensure windshield is clean
- Ensure headlights are clean and properly aligned

Responsible dispensers of ophthalmic lenses

should discourage the use of tinted, polarized,

or photochromic lenses in night time or

dusk driving conditions and not participate

in solicitation or marketing of

so-called night driving glasses by irresponsible manufacturers.

 

There is no magic bullet. A pair of $19.99 glasses will not fix,

and may indeed increase, your night vision problems.

You may talk yourself into thinking they work

so you can avoid the time, trouble, and expense

of seeing an optometrist, and that's dangerous.

 

If something sounds too good to be true....

 

Thank you so much, covfefe, and good night!
-- Anna Kendrick
18,098 Views
2
Report
Regular Contributor

Thank you for your comments.
14,084 Views
0
Report
Regular Contributor

Thank you for your response. 

 

14,134 Views
0
Report
Social Butterfly

http://www.laramyk.com/your-edge-independence/

 

 

"Yellow 'Night Driving' lenses have been shown to provide no benefit.

 

Thank you so much, covfefe, and good night!
-- Anna Kendrick
18,098 Views
1
Report
Regular Contributor

I have a Retinal Specialist in addition to an Ophthalmologist I visit annually.  Was curious about the $10-$20 TV and flyer glasses.  Have never noticed anyone wearing them so thought I would check the AARP community. Thank you. 

 

14,208 Views
0
Report
Newbie

They absolutely help.  I’m 65 years old & thought I was going to have to give up driving at night because I knew that I wasn’t seeing well.  Lights, especially headlights coming toward me, looked like they had a large halo around them. As did streetlights & if I was on a road larger than 2 lanes, I was really insecure about driving. And forget it if it was dark and raining both.  I actually had times where I pulled off to the side of the road, as frightening as that was for me, & waited for the rain to stop.  I saw the glasses advertised onTV & as they only cost $10, I figured I had nothing to lose & decided to try them. I am so very glad tha I did!! What a world of difference they made.  Oncoming lights are crisp & defined, the streetlighs are where they should be & im comfortable with driving at night now.  Even if it’s raining.  I have to wear regular glasses so I have to put the yellow ones on over top of them. That took a little getting used to, but it’s just wonderful.   The only thing that I won’t do is drive in heavy traffic at night.  But I do my best to avoid that all the time. I’m just a country girl and hate traffic, but at least I can feel safe driving. In the dark now.

18,191 Views
1
Report
Newbie

Might you be able to tell us which brands and where you got them? Thanks

0 Kudos
759 Views
0
Report
Social Butterfly

No, they don't help. I recently read about this, forget where.  The idea of a softly tinted yellow lens reducing glare and promoting focus is easy to disprove.  If you are concerned about your night vision, just go see your optometrist.

Thank you so much, covfefe, and good night!
-- Anna Kendrick
18,166 Views
5
Report
Regular Contributor

Thank you for responding.
14,206 Views
0
Report
Honored Social Butterfly

I found this two part series about night driving challenges and soutions from Safety Glasses USA. 

 

Part One

https://blog.safetyglassesusa.com/shedding-some-light-on-night-driving-challenges-and-solutions-part...

 

A snippet: " Use anti-reflective coating on prescription eyeglasses. Anti-reflective coating on prescription eyeglasses minimizes reflections within the glasses themselves, reduces halo problems, and increases the transmittance of light through the lens to the eye. However, if a person does not usually wear prescription eyeglasses, Laramy-K Optical says that an AR coating on any other type of glasses may not be helpful for improving nighttime vision while driving."

 

Part Two

https://blog.safetyglassesusa.com/shedding-some-light-on-night-driving-challenges-and-solutions-part...

 

This part says:  "Before trying night vision eyewear for driving, be sure to employ the tips provided in Shedding Some Light on Night Driving Challenges and Solutions, Part 1 as well as the additional tips offered by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

If night driving eyewear still interests you after considering the other options available, keep in mind the following points regarding eyewear that may or may not improve night vision.

 

Lens Color and Night Vision

There are two main reasons people look for night driving glasses. First, they want to enhance contrast and depth perception in dim light. Second, they want to reduce glare from oncoming headlights. But can lens color provide any solutions to nighttime driving vision problems?

 

Enhancing Contrast and Depth Perception

Improving contrast and depth perception when driving at night can only be achieved during the few hours before and during dusk or at other times that are dim without being dark. A yellow/amber lens can brighten surroundings using the small amount of light available. However, these lenses require the presence of some light since benefits are lost when darkness fully descends. After dark, not much can help improve visibility.

 

Even with the possibility of a yellow/amber lens improving visibility for some people and in some conditions, the use of any tint once dusk hits are somewhat controversial. In fact, eye experts at Laramy-K Optical strongly discourage the use of yellow lenses for dusk and night driving because “ANY tint further reduces the amount of light transmitted to the eye.” They also quote –

 

Dr. Merrill J. Allen from the Forensic Aspects of Vision and Highway Safety who says that yellow lenses can “actually impair visual performances and retard glare recovery.”

 

Reducing Glare from Oncoming Headlights

This goal is achieved using almost any tint other than clear. However, the need to reduce glare from oncoming headlights usually applies in the dark when headlights appear even brighter by contrast. This type of glare is different than that generated by the sun. Thus, a polarized lens, which is by far the best for reducing sun glare, will not have the same benefit against headlights."

 

 

 

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
18,156 Views
3
Report
Regular Contributor

Thank you very much for your response. 

 

14,206 Views
0
Report
Regular Contributor

I had found two professional articles on night driving and coatings, but was curious about experiences with the yellow/amber TV glasses.  Thank you. 

 

14,207 Views
1
Report
Contributor

I think the trick is to buy POLARIZED yellow lenses!  I have found that these absolutely help!  I had to pick up my husband and son last year at an airport about 50 miles from home.  I had to take the interstate, which I am not all that familiar with in that area, have a stigma that is corrected as much as it can be, and then it began to rain.  I felt like I had no idea where I was part of the time due to glare from multiple lights.  I thought I would have o give up driving at night and I wasn’t ready for that.  A few months later my sister introduced me to polarized yellow lenses which help reduce eye strain on sunny days and certainly crisp up things at night.  Now I never leave home without them!

4,672 Views
0
Report
cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
Users
Need to Know

NEW: AARP Games Tournament Tuesdays! This week, achieve a top score in Atari Asteroids® and you could win $100! Learn More.

AARP Games Tournament Tuesdays

More From AARP