Does astigmatism affect night vision?

Astigmatism and night vision affect each other in many different ways. Astigmatism is a common eye problem which affects 24% of the UK population. In astigmatism, you experience blurry vision, headaches and unbearable eye strain along with short or farsightedness vision. Along with the vision, astigmatism also brings you with the challenge of driving at night. If you are someone who works late and travels from work to home or goes for some classes at night with an astigmatic eye then it causes numerous problems. Read on to find how astigmatism affects your night vision.

What is astigmatism?

Astigmatism is an eye problem caused by irregularly shaped cornea in the eye. The cornea is the outermost part of the eye which helps to focus light rays of the retina which ultimately helps to form the perfect image you see. However, if you have astigmatism then your eyes are irregularly shaped which most people like to call it as football-shaped rather than a natural spherical shape.

The shape of the cornea is supposed to be in a perfectly spherical shape which allows the incoming light rays to pass through them to the retina and meet at a single point at the back of the eye. It helps to project the light rays on the cornea. However with the astigmatic eye, the cornea is shaped more like football, the light rays are distributed unevenly on the retina hence you develop an out of focus image or blurred vision

What causes Astigmatism?

Now that we know why astigmatism leads to blurry vision, the real cause of astigmatism is still not clear or scientifically proven yet. Much study and research are going on to find out the natural occurrence of an irregular shaped cornea however, unfortunately, the result is yet to be discovered. The irregular cornea is also hereditary that means it is passed on from your parents to you and your child is also very vulnerable to developing it. Astigmatism is hereditary as many people are mostly born with this eye condition.

If not hereditary then you can get through accidents or damage in the eye which will lead to damage in the shape of the retina. Hence to avoid such conditions in your eyes, take care of your eyes and wear protective eyewear while performing dangerous tasks or just don’t perform any dangerous task, everyone will be happy with that option.

How does astigmatism affect night vision?

Astigmatism is as you cause blurry vision and headaches because of the irregular shaped cornea. However, this eye condition brings more trouble at night when there’s a low light condition on the streets with an unwanted glare. If you have astigmatism and you drive at night then you’ll need more light rays to see anything appear clear to you and you’ll need to dilate your pupil to insert more light. Due to pupil dilation, unwanted glare and light rays will enter your eyes and your vision will turn worse. You’ll experience glare and halos which is not great for driving as it can lead you into dangerous situations.

Harmful glare emitted from the street signs and headlights create problems in the eyes by taking it longer to adjust. Many times, it takes a period to adjust your vision while you are just driving blind which is extremely harmful.

Beneficial Measures for Astigmatic eye for Night vision

Correct your Vision

If you want to enjoy night driving or want to get the night vision with no hues and glare, then get your sight corrected. Go for an eye test and get your prescription glasses based on your eye condition. It will save you many restrictions and possible accidents on the road and you’ll be a reliable buddy for any time driving needs as your eyes are back to normal. Let’s just say that, without your glasses, no one is going to trust you about driving them home at night.

Get Anti-reflective Coating on Your Glasses

Wearing glasses won’t just help, essential coating like anti-reflective coating will additionally help you enhance your vision better. Anti-reflective also is known as anti-glare is an important feature on your lenses which not only works for correcting your vision but the quality of vision. Many retailers charge extra for these coatings however at Specscart, you get free fully loaded lenses with anti-glare, anti-scratch, anti-UV and Impact resistance coatings.

Use Eye-drops for Strain and Irritation

Night vision is not only filled with glare and hues but also causes extremely painful eye strain and pain in the eyes. With multiple fluorescent and LED lights from headlights and boards, your eyes turn irritating, a burning sensation which not only causes you major pain and annoyance but turns a bigger threat to your vision. Hence take eye-drops with moisturising features that lubricate your eyes and soothe them.