Astigmatism and Night Lights: How Astigmatism Affects Your Vision

Astigmatism is an eye condition that affects approximately 1 in 3 people. It's caused by an imperfection in the curvature of the eye's cornea or lens. Instead of being perfectly round like a basketball, the cornea or lens is more egg-shaped. This irregular shape causes light to be refracted unevenly as it enters the eye. The result is blurred or distorted vision at near and far distances.

The impact of astigmatism becomes noticeable in low-light conditions. When driving at night, people with astigmatism experience visual distortions like halos around lights, increased glare from oncoming headlights, and starbursts around street lamps and traffic signals. These visual disturbances can make nighttime driving challenging and potentially dangerous, affecting depth perception and the ability to judge distances accurately.

Let's look at how astigmatism can affect night vision and what people with astigmatism see at night. We will also discuss how you can take appropriate measures for safer and more comfortable nighttime driving experiences.

How Do People With Astigmatism See Lights?

People with astigmatism experience light as blurry or elongated; instead of seeing sharp, well-defined light sources, they can see them as stretched or smeared. Halos and starbursts might also make streetlights, headlights, and other bright objects harder to focus on, especially at night.

To understand how astigmatism alters light perception, astigmatism test lights, with light sources appearing with or without the starburst effect, are available online. These tests show how light looks to someone with astigmatism compared to normal vision.

How Does Astigmatism Affect Night Vision?

Astigmatism at night vs. normal vision can be particularly frustrating. The low-light environment makes the irregularities in the cornea or lens even more prominent. How does astigmatism impact your vision at night?

Increased sensitivity to light. At night, lights from car headlights, street lamps, and signage can cause intense glare, which makes it harder to see clearly.

Reduced contrast sensitivity. Objects in the dark are more challenging to distinguish, and shadows can seem more pronounced. As a result, this can slow down your reaction time while driving.

Blurry peripheral vision. Lights on the edges of your vision may appear blurred or stretched. This effect can create a general sense of disorientation in low-light environments.

What Do People With Astigmatism See at Night?

People with astigmatism often experience more intense symptoms at night than during the day. Uncorrected astigmatism lights can make it difficult to see at night because the distortions are magnified in low-light conditions. Some common eye distortions include:

• Starburst patterns. Lights, like car headlights or street lamps, appear with rays extending from the center, creating a starburst effect.
• Glare and halos. Surrounding light sources, especially car lights, may produce a halo effect that makes them look much larger and more diffused than they are.
• Blurred lights. Light sources may appear smeared or out of focus due to the irregular shape of the cornea or lens.

Tips for Driving at Night With Astigmatism

Driving at night with astigmatism can feel like a task, but there are things you can do to improve your experience and driving. Here are some tips to consider:

Wear Glasses or Contact Lenses 

Corrective lenses, such as toric contacts or prescription glasses, correct astigmatism. They make your vision sharper and reduce distortions. Be sure to have an updated prescription for safe driving. 

Explore our wide selection of contact lenses for clearer and more comfortable night driving. Whether you have mild or severe astigmatism, these lenses can be tailored to your prescription for optimal vision correction.

Popular brands for astigmatism contact lenses include Acuvue Oasys for Astigmatism, known for its comfortable fit and moisture-rich design, which are ideal for long hours of wear. 

Air Optix® Plus HydraGlyde for Astigmatism has a smooth surface and is great in challenging environments like night driving. 

 Bausch + Lomb Ultra for Astigmatism provides superior hydration and comfort for those who need to wear lenses throughout the day and night.

Use Anti-reflective Coating 

Glasses with an anti-reflective coating can reduce the glare of headlights and streetlights. This coating is particularly useful for nighttime driving. Anti-reflective (AR) coatings are ready-to-buy options and can be applied to most prescription lenses during the manufacturing process. 

While AR coatings are often included as an option when purchasing new prescription glasses, you can also request to have them applied to existing lenses. Opticians apply them based on the lens material and prescription needs. 

Adjust Your Car's Lighting 

Dim your dashboard lights and ensure your headlights are properly aligned to minimize glare and reflections from other vehicles.

Take Frequent Breaks

Driving for extended periods can lead to eye fatigue, especially for a person with astigmatism, who is already more prone to experiencing visual discomfort. Fatigue makes it harder for the eyes to focus, worsening the usual astigmatism symptoms. As this can become a significant safety concern, particularly during night driving, take breaks to rest your eyes.

Schedule an Appointment with Your Eye Doctor

If you have a problem driving at night or notice glare, halos, or blurry lights while driving, you should better visit an eye care professional. They will do a thorough exam and can diagnose this condition and provide corrective options, such as prescription eyeglasses or toric contact lenses, to improve night vision.

Tips That Help Your Eyes

Keep up with good eye health to minimize the effect of astigmatism, especially at night. 

Regular Eye Exams

Have regular eye exams. Over time, your vision can change, and wearing the wrong prescription can cause more eye fatigue and blurry vision. An annual thorough eye exam can verify you're using the right corrective lenses, including toric lenses, specifically designed to correct the uneven curvature caused by astigmatism. 

Blink Often

Blinking keeps your eyes moist and reduces strain. This is important when driving at night for prolonged periods.

Practice Eye Exercises

Strengthen your eye muscles with exercises like focusing on near and far objects. This helps reduce strain and improves overall vision clarity.

Tips That Help Your Driving

Let's move to things you can change in driving and other adjustments that make night driving safer. 

1. Keep your windshield clean. Dirt and grime on your windshield can scatter light, increasing glare and making seeing at night harder.
2. Reduce speed. Slower driving improves your reaction time to objects and road hazards that may be more difficult to spot due to the vision distortions caused by astigmatism.
3. Wear polarized sunglasses. Polarized sunglasses reduce glare and strain during the daytime, which can carry over into your night vision.
4. Avoid looking directly at headlights. When oncoming traffic gets closer, shift your focus slightly to the right. This way, you can avoid being blinded by their headlights.

Astigmatism can make night driving frustrating. Whether you've recently been diagnosed with astigmatism or have been managing it for years, you should ensure your night vision is correct for safe driving and overall comfort. 

If you know how much astigmatism you have, visit the Blue Planet Optics online store and browse through our wide selection of toric lenses. In case you are unsure where to start and need information and guidance on the best options for you, our online chat experts are here for personalized advice. 

What's more, you can take advantage of our installment payment plans, so you don't have to wait to get the lenses that fit your needs. Let us help you drive with confidence—shop now and experience the difference!

Frequently Asked Questions 

What does astigmatism do with light?

Due to the irregular shape of the cornea or lens, astigmatism causes light to be refracted unevenly. This causes blurriness, glare, halos, or starbursts around light sources, which are particularly noticeable at night. Lights may appear stretched or smeared, and people may need help to focus on them clearly.

How do you fix astigmatism lights?

Corrective lenses—such as toric contact lenses or prescription glasses—are necessary to correct problems with astigmatism lights. These lenses compensate for the uneven curvature of the eye and can reduce light distortions like glare and halos. Anti-reflective coatings on glasses can also reduce the glare from headlights and streetlights. LASIK, a not very common laser eye surgery, is an option for long-term astigmatism correction.

How to fix starburst vision?

To reduce starburst vision, people get corrective glasses or toric contact lenses. 

Eye exercises can also reduce strain. Also, get your eyes checked regularly for an updated prescription. 

If you want to minimize the effects of starbursts further, adjust your driving habits: Avoid looking directly at oncoming headlights and opt for polarized sunglasses.

For a more permanent solution, there are surgical options like LASIK.  

What's the difference between lenses for astigmatism and toric contact lenses?

The two have no fundamental difference, as toric contact lenses are simply a specific type designed for astigmatism. 

Contact lenses for astigmatism are specialized lenses that correct the uneven curvature of the eye's cornea or lens. Toric contact lenses are this type of contact lenses for astigmatism as their shape compensates for the irregular curvature of the eye.