Sunglasses at Night

Wearing sunglasses at night isn't always the best thing for your vision. However, there is a certain functionality behind it. Fashion, image and glare are popular reasons to sport shades when the sun's sleeping.

For teens and young adults, image is everything, and wearing sunglasses at night is one way to maintain a fashionable, "cool" appearance. Those same sunglasses are often worn indoors, as well.

Sunglasses worn at night can be used to keep distance between two people, as they hinder non-verbal communication. As a result, the person wearing the sunglasses may seem more threatening.

Veiled in the pretense of fashion, some people cover their eye area with sunglasses to disguise the evidence of drug use, an all-nighter or crying. All of these examples play into an image protection ploy.

Wearing sunglasses at night for vision purposes is more popular among the older crowd than the younger one. That's because the effects of cataracts and other eye conditions can cause an exacerbated glare while driving at night.

Ophthalmology patients find that wearing sunglasses at night--ones with a slight tint as opposed to black or deep amber lenses--can cut down on the unpleasant glare that comes from headlights and streetlights. If you're one of those people who wears sunglasses at night to cut down on glare, make sure you visit your eye care professional to rule out problems with your eyes' health.

If you're wearing sunglasses at night to cut glare and improve your vision, you may want to consider one of the following options:

• Anti-Reflective Coating on your clear lenses. Anti-reflective coating is a must for people who drive at night, work on a computer or feel annoyed by hindered eye contact during conversation. The coating can shrink light halos, keep your eyes from tiring too rapidly and allow people to see through your lenses--and right into your eyes--with no light reflecting back at them.

• Cataract surgery: It may sound like a bad option you'd rather avoid at all costs, but the procedure and healing time go by quickly. The difference it makes in your vision is phenomenal. Most patients are astounded by their ability to see at a distance again after a successful surgery. Halos may be present but not nearly as large, and the patient will normally need reading glasses or bifocals later, but the prescription for seeing things far away will not be nearly as strong.

• A new prescription: Your problem could be as simple as an outdated eyeglass prescription. Since prescriptions can change dramatically in as little as a year's time, make sure to make annual appointments with your eye doctor. Has your vision changed dramatically in less than a year? Definitely get in to see the doctor as quickly as possible.

Why change something that’s working fine, you ask? Wearing sunglasses at night may actually reduce your visual acuity, even though you're cutting down glare. In fact, some Night Sunglasses, sunglasses actually marketed for nighttime driving, were pulled off the shelves.

The bottom line is, if you're wearing sunglasses for fashion or image, it's probably best that you don't use them to drive. If you're using them to cut glare while driving, have your eyes checked to make sure there's not a problem you need addressing. And for safety's sake, try anti-reflective coating on clear lenses instead of allowing tinted lenses to detract from your ability to see.

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