When driving, contact lenses can sometimes be the preferred option over glasses for a few reasons.
For one, contact lenses might be more convenient as they’re sometimes more comfortable than glasses, especially if you are driving for a shorter period of time.
However, it can be hard to know which type of lenses are the right choice for you to wear behind the wheel, especially when there are so many different kinds of lenses out there, all boasting different benefits.
Tip 1. Make sure your prescription is up-to-date
First things first. If you’re using contacts when driving, it’s paramount that your prescription is up to date. It’s not always easy to make sure you attend regular appointments for eye health check-ups, but these check-ups are essential to ensure that you’re maintaining good eye health and keeping your prescription up to date.
It’s also a good idea to follow any advice or recommendations that your optician gives you, and to let them know of any changes you may feel regarding your eyes – for example if your eyes start to feel more dry than usual.
This helps ensure that you can drive confidently and safely, knowing that you have the right prescription and right contacts for you.
Tip 2. Try out different brands of contact lenses
If you are having trouble with your current contact lenses, one great way to figure out what the cause could be is to try out different brands to see if there is any improvement in your condition. Feeling comfortable with your contacts is ever so more important when you’re on the road in traffic.
Many brands will only be available in certain stores, so if you want to switch from those, make sure you find the corresponding product that offers equivalent specifications. For example, many online retailers will have product charts that will allow you to find the right product for you, even when switching between brands.
Tip 3. Look out for glare
Out and about on the roads, it can be hard to see everything clearly when the sun is shining brightly as this causes glare from shiny objects, which can sometimes be a danger on the road.
There are other sources of glare which can be less obvious, like having smudges on your windscreen. Smudged or streaky windscreens can distort your view and cause blurring, so it would be a good idea to check your windscreen if you find there is a lot of glare and you are not sure of where it’s coming from.
There is something else other than glare that can limit your vision, which is clouding: when things seem a bit more diffused and out of focus than usual. Clouding can occur due to dim headlights, so check that yours are at a good level of brightness and that the headlight covers are clean both inside and out.
Tip 4. Ease contact lens discomfort
There are a few things to bear in mind that can limit your vision or cause discomfort when you are driving. One of these things is air conditioning.
While it can be hard to avoid in situations where you need to use the air-con, if your contact lenses feel a bit dry and start to cause discomfort, your air-con can be the reason why.
A good way to counteract the effects of air-con is to move the air vents away from your face, or simply turn the A/C off.
Another reason your eyes may feel a bit more dry and sensitive than usual can be because of an allergy.
Pollen or dust can sometimes be irritating for contact lens wearers, and if your symptoms include stinging eyes, you could be suffering from an allergy. Eye drops are a great way to ease the discomfort in the eyes and you can buy eye drops specially formulated for easing symptoms caused by allergies like hay-fever, for example.
