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Thread: Night Driving Rx's

  1. #1
    Master OptiBoarder Joann Raytar's Avatar
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    Question Night Driving Rx's

    We have been getting a number of folks coming in with outside Rx's for night driving glasses. Many of these folks have had cataract surgery and the Rx's are many plano with cyl. The patients have been told lenses with a yellow tint will help with glare at night while driving.

    I'm thinking the yellow tint will make things brighter but aren't going to cut glare. Why aren't the prescribers recommending AR?

    Anyone have any idea what's going on with this latest trend in Rx's? It sounds like a handful of area practices attended the same new seminar.

  2. #2
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    Hi Jo,
    Yellow specs were often referred to as night driving glasses (here in Australia at least). They are more correctly 'contrast filters' and were originally recommended for dusk conditions where contrast was reduced. The prevailing thought these days is that any tint is not to be recommended for night driving since it reduces transmittance. I'm with you, I would recommend AR. However, AR doesn't actually reduce glare as such, though it will reduce some flaring caused by multiple reflections, and the unwanted reflections from behind. It also increases transmittance, which can't be a bad thing at nights.
    Regards
    David

  3. #3
    One eye sees, the other feels OptiBoard Silver Supporter
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    Jo,

    One of the problems associated with night driving is the possibility of over driving your headlights. In other words the stopping distance (including reaction time) is longer than the distance to the object on, or along the road (a bicyclist for example). The only solution is to decrease your speed, or increase the light. Proper adjustment of the headlights and clean windows will increase the light, as will traveling on well lit roads when possible.

    Since a yellow tint will decrease the available light, vehicle speed should be reduced. But what happens is that objects within that zone of available light look more distinct due to the increased contrast, giving the wearer the impression that one can see further down the road, with just the opposite being true. In addition, the "old eye" dilates much less in low light compared to younger eyes. So I tell my younger clients that a yellow tint can be worn for night driving in well lit urban areas, but that they should be removed on darker roads or during periods of reduced visibility i.e. rain, fog, and snow. By this time they just give up and do it my way :) ... clear lenses with AR. My older clients have a little more sense and understand that less light will not help you see when it is dark.

    Robert

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    Master OptiBoarder LENNY's Avatar
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    Would a Plano RX with an AR coating work better in night condition than no glasses at all?

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    Lenny:

    NO, ARC reduses glare from the lens surface, not the corneal surface. i.e. it is to reduce inherent defects of lenses, not eyes.

    Chip

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    Manuf. Lens Surface Treatments
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    You are 100% right .........................

    LENNY said:
    Would a Plano RX with an AR coating work better in night condition than no glasses at all?
    For every light condition and everyother purpoose, there is a near perfect solution in the way of tint, AR, frame, for computer, driving, flying,working, and so forth.

    Which boils down to the fact that you retailers should be getting to study and research all the possibilities and build yourself a niche for specialty glasses, as a second pair for this, a third pair for that and maybe a fourth one for another purpose.

    Instead you all rely on the frame or lens manufacturers pushing the fashion bit to the public, by direct marketing to give you easy sales pitches.

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    Post Clear AR is the best solution..

    Jo,

    There is no evidence that lenses with yellow/amber tint improve vision on road at night. I think they are intended for foggy and hazy daylight conditions to reduce scattered blue light in those situations. Any tinted lenses actually make vision worse in reduced light conditions and should be avoided. I also discourage transitions/photochromic lenses to my customers who have problem with night driving because of its inherent slight residual tint. I find clear lenses with an anti-reflective coating best for night driving. I believe highway regulations in most countries warn drivers not to use any form of tints at night and that also applies to tinted automobile windscreens.
    I would recommend for night driving:
    1) An up-to-date pair of clear prescription eyeglasses with an AR coating.
    2) Clean windscreen inside and outside at all the time. Replace windscreen if there are lots of scratches.
    3) Clean your eyeglasses before wearing them.
    4) Make sure your car lights are properly focused for the road.

    And enjoy driving

    :)

    I am with you on what you said in the last paragraph of your post.

    Regards,
    Optom

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    Exclamation Poloroid after Sunset

    Hello,
    I think we should warn customer against using any kind of polarized lenses after sunset, especially of its hazard on rainy night in urban areas lit with streetlights.
    Please give your opinions.
    Regards,
    Optom

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    Photoprotective Technologies sells a lens both in Plano and Rx for night vision.

    This is a lens with Melanin added. The tint is very light. We have used a few of these on request with good results.

    Check out their web-site at www.melaninproducts.com and look up night driving.

    Jerry

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    Hello Jerry,

    These is how add reads:

    "Melavision Night Driving lenses with melanin reduces eye strain, preserves color and provides UV and HEV protection".

    UV and HEV protection may be fine for computer users,do you think it is relevant for night driving vision?

    Regards,
    Optom

    BTW:
    Are sunglasses a regulated device by FDA.

  11. #11
    OptiBoard Professional OptiBoard Corporate Sponsor
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    There is an amazing book entitled "Forensic Aspects of Vision and Highway Safety" by Merrill J. Allen, O.D., Ph.D. and others.

    To me, this book is almost the bible of driving and vision safety. Here's what he has to say about yellow night lenses.

    "Yellow "Night Driving" lenses have been shown to provide no benefit in seeing ability at night (Richards 1964). They are even hazardous, because they give the driver a feeling of seeing better, which no one has yet been able to explain (Septon, 1968). 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."

    I (CEO) have just returned from extensive traveling in Europe, and I noticed that there are several retailers selling these yellow "night vision" lenses. Although they might be popular, I tend to wholly agree with Dr. Allen.

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    All I was trying to do was show a web-site that advertises Night Driving Glasses. They also say in that ad that it improves contrast.
    I think that this is the addition of the Melanin. The CEO knows a lot about Melanin as I believe he was the first to offer it.

    I have had people request this lens and they say it works. I haven't tried it myself.

    I personally think that clear lenses with an AR is the best.

    I agree with the CEO. Many years ago I made myself a pair of Kalichrome lenses for a trip across country. I didn't finish the trip with them. I didn't like the fact that they made everything yellow. Because of this tint it gave the illusion that everything was brighter.

    I believe that parts of what the CEO is quoting states that if you add any tint to a lens the amount of that tint reduces by that percentage the amount of visible you have at night.

    This alone should prevent a tint from being used at night as we are already operating under reduced visibility.

    Jerry

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    Hello,

    We do have these type of night driving glasses on our display(from different manufacturer),I will pick one to try for myself.

    Here is a cool link on night driving:

    http://www.aaafoundation.org/pdf/Hea...reBrochure.pdf

    Regards,
    Optom

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    We get such interesting topics :D

    If yellow lenses actually increased night visibility, you'd think that cataracts would be an enhancement! LOL

    shutterbug

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    Master OptiBoarder Joann Raytar's Avatar
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    The mirrors mentioned in Optom's link to the AAA site sound interesting.
    Self-dimming mirrors.
    Many upscale cars now offer self-dimming
    mirrors that reduce glare but allow
    you to maintain excellent rearward visibility.
    As the glare becomes brighter, the mirrors
    become darker; as the glare
    diminishes, the mirrors lighten up. These
    mirrors are available from some dealers and
    automobile parts stores. If you’re particularly
    sensitive to reflected glare, consider
    getting self-dimming mirrors, either as replacements
    for your current mirrors or as
    equipment on your next car.
    Anyone know how exactly they work?

  16. #16
    Master OptiBoarder Texas Ranger's Avatar
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    I do believe that yellow lenses are good for the haze of dusk and dawn, but that it...so theire use is especially narrow, so for those folks that think they need them for that visual environment, a yellow lens clip on might be a good choice. the new transitions NG lenses with AR are so very clear that there doesn't seem to be a night driving problem with them, there was with the older transitions lenses. so, driving at night has some real need for AR, you're looking through four reflective surfaces, the windshield and your glasses, AR automatically eliminates about 50% of the reflections, a noticeable improvement.

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    Jo said:
    The mirrors mentioned in Optom's link to the AAA site sound interesting.

    Anyone know how exactly they work?
    AND HERE IT IS:

    Self-Dimming Mirrors on the Horizon for Big Rigs

    For years, some automobile and light truck drivers have enjoyed the luxury of automatic self-dimming rearview mirrors to reduce the blinding glare from headlights at night.

    It sounds like something truck drivers could use: A rearview mirror that helps the driver’s night vision, reduces eye fatigue and improves safety. But such a device hasn’t reached trucks yet.
    “Electrochromics,” the most common technology used for the self-dimming mirrors now on the market, has not been commercially viable for large trucks. It is expensive, does not work as well on the larger truck mirrors and would not hold up to the rigors of the commercial truck environment.

    However, another technology may offer some promise of bringing the convenience into the cab.

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    SOME MORE DETAILS ............................

    Electrochromic windows are windows that can be darkened or lightened electronically. A small voltage applied to the windows will cause them to darken; reversing the voltage causes them to lighten. This capability allows for the automatic control of the amount of light and heat that passes through the windows, thereby presenting an opportunity for the windows to be used as energy-saving devices.

    How Electrochromic Windows Work


    Electrochromic windows consist of up to seven layers of materials. The essential function of the device results from the transport of hydrogen or lithium ions from an ion storage layer and through an ion conducting layer, injecting them into an electrochromic layer.
    The electrochromic layer is typically tungsten oxide (WO3). The presence of the ions in the electrochromic layer changes its optical properties, causing it to absorb visible light. The large-scale result is that the window darkens.
    The central three layers are sandwiched between two layers of a transparent conducting oxide material. To protect the five layers of materials, they are further sandwiched between two layers of glass. All of the layers, of course, are transparent to visible light.

    A cross-section of an electrochromic window.
    A voltage applied across the transparent
    conducting oxide layers causes hydrogen
    or lithium anions (A+) to be injected
    into the electrochromic layers.
    To darken (or "color") the windows, a voltage is applied across the two transparent conducting oxide layers. This voltage drives the ions from the ion storage layer, through the ion conducting layer and into the electrochromic layer.
    To reverse the process, the voltage is reversed, driving the ions in the opposite direction, out of the electrochromic layer, through the ion conducting layer, and into the ion storage layer. As the ions migrate out of the electrochromic layer, it lightens (or "bleaches"), and the window becomes transparent again.


    An electrochromic window in its lightened or "bleached" state. An electrochromic window in its darkened or "colored" state.
    The challenges in fabricating electrochromic windows lie in achieving low costs, high durability, and practical sizes. The largest samples fabricated by participants in DOE's Electrochromic Initiative thus far measure 14 by 16 inches, which is suitable for a window divided into small panes.

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    Voila!

    Jo,

    Self-dimming mirrors patented with SPM technology are called electrochromic mirrors.This products dim automatically to eliminate unwanted headlight glare. Monsieur Ryser has explained in great details.
    I am not sure if they are combined with prismatic rear view mirrors,or polarized rear view system.

    Bien a vous,
    Optom

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    Master OptiBoarder keithbenjamin's Avatar
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    Jo,

    I have this kind of rear-view mirror in my car and while not perfect, it does help a great deal. I don't like driving other cars with out it now. I only wish I had it in my side view mirrors too (at least the driver side).

    Keith

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