The American Automobile Association and the National Safety Council, among others, have published critically important suggestions for improving vision when driving at night, however old you are.
The number one recommendation is to protect your eyes during the day by wearing sunglasses (neutral-gray lenses are best) and a hat with a brim when the sun is shining. Bright sunlight bleaches the photoreceptors and lengthens the time it takes for your eyes to adjust to the dark. While it normally takes half an hour for full adaptation to the dark, being in bright sunlight for two or three hours can delay this adaptation by hours.
"The longer you stay in the sun, the worse your night vision gets," the association warned.
Another recommendation: Clean the windshield of your vehicle, inside and out, at least weekly. As with a cloudy lens, a grimy windshield scatters light and intensifies glare. (You may be surprised by how dirty the inside of the windshield gets.)
Clean the headlights as well; just a thin layer of grime can reduce the light they cast by about 90 percent, which in turn reduces how well a driver can see. And make sure the headlights are properly aligned.
Most new cars these days have rear-view mirrors that adjust automatically at night to eliminate the reflected glare of headlights behind you. If not, make sure to adjust the mirror manually to night setting. But keep in mind that this makes the vehicle behind you appear farther away than it really is.
If you wear glasses, make sure they are clean. Grimy glasses, like a grimy windshield, scatter light. When getting a new prescription, make sure the lenses have an antireflective coating. Though I don't legally need glasses to drive, my ophthalmologist suggested I wear them, especially when driving at night, to enhance my distance vision.
Avoid looking directly at approaching vehicles at night, even when their lights are dimmed. Instead, direct your eyes about 20 degrees to the right, toward the white line on the right side of the road, and use your peripheral vision to see ahead for those few moments.
Reduce your speed at night and increase the distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you. You should be able to stop inside the area illuminated by your headlights. If you overdrive your headlights, you create a blind crash area in front of your vehicle.
I wish I had a dollar for every time someone broke a bone tripping over something in the dark.
Night lights - the kind that plug into wall outlets - are inexpensive and highly preventive, especially for older people who make nighttime trips to the bathroom.
In unfamiliar surroundings, such as a hotel or friend? home, leave a light on in the bathroom all night and close the door partway. Or travel with a night light.
Keep paths and stairways clear of objects, including slippers. Loose rugs are accidents waiting to happen. Get rid of them or fasten them securely to the floor with carpet tape.
Finally, have your eyes checked at least once a year. If you have cataracts, have them removed sooner rather than later, and see how much brighter the world can be.
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