Here's Why You May Want to Reconsider Driving at Night if You Have Halos and Cataracts
August 12, 2024
Developing cataracts is one of the inevitable parts of aging. Most people will experience changes to the natural lens of their eyes as they age.
Cataracts typically start to develop between the ages of 40 and 50. By the age of 80, more than 50% of people have cataracts or have undergone cataract surgery to remove them and improve their vision.
Cataracts can cause noticeable vision changes that make some activities difficult or unsafe. Driving with cataracts can be particularly dangerous due to the risks caused by cataract-related glare or halos around lights. Keep reading to discover why you may want to reconsider driving at night if you have halos and cataracts!
What are Cataracts?
A cataract is a cloudy area of the natural lens of your eye. The lens is a clear, flexible disc made of protein located in front of the retina.
The lens helps focus light onto the retina, sending information to the brain to form visual images. Cataracts occur when the proteins that make up the lens break down and clump together.
These clumps of protein create cloudy, discolored areas on the eye's natural lens. They affect how much light can penetrate the retina and impact vision.
How Cataracts Affect Vision
The most common symptoms of cataracts are:
- Blurriness
- Cloudy spots in the vision
- Difficulty seeing in low light
- Colors look dull or dim
- Injuring yourself more often due to impaired vision
- Needing more frequent prescription changes
These can affect activities like reading, watching TV, cooking, housework, and other daily tasks. However, cloudy spots aren't the only way cataracts affect how well you can see.
They can also limit the amount of light that reaches the cornea, which can have complex effects on vision, such as:
- Reduced contrast sensitivity
- Difficulty discerning objects in low-light conditions
- Impaired depth perception
- Increased sensitivity to glare
- Seeing halos around lights
These symptoms can affect your ability to drive safely, particularly at night.
Driving with Cataracts
Research shows that people with cataracts change their driving habits because they don't feel comfortable driving or because their loved ones ask them to stop driving. As a result, drivers with cataracts are likely to limit their driving and ask others to drive when possible.
Researchers also found that people with cataracts are more likely to drive slower than the general traffic flow and have difficulty with challenging driving situations. What's most concerning is that drivers with cataracts were 2.5 times more likely to have a car accident in which they were at fault.
Some of the conditions that are most challenging for drivers with cataracts include:
- Driving at night
- Driving in the rain
- Driving in rush hour
- Driving in high-traffic
- Parallel parking
Giving up driving, at least until after cataract surgery, is usually the safest choice for people with cataracts. Unfortunately, that also means giving up a lot of independence.
People who don't drive may find themselves increasingly isolated from loved ones and activities, which can negatively affect their mental health. The only way to reverse the effects of cataracts is cataract surgery. The procedure is safe and effective and can help you regain the ability to drive safely and confidently.
Are you ready to reclaim your independence?
Schedule Your Cataract Surgery Consultation Now
Cataract Surgery
During cataract surgery, your cataract surgeon at Metropolitan Ophthalmology Associates will remove your cloudy natural lens and replace it with an intraocular lens, called an IOL. The IOL ensures you can see clearly and takes over the role the natural lens can no longer perform.
In addition to completely reversing visual problems caused by cataracts, the intraocular lens can correct refractive errors, such as nearsightedness and farsightedness. Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure, meaning you can go home once it's complete.
It takes less than an hour and because you'll receive numbing eye drops, you won't experience any pain during it. You may also request medications to help you relax.
During the procedure, your cataract surgeon will make a small incision in your eye using specialized tools and gently break up the cataract-affected lens before removing it. Your cataract surgeon will then insert your intraocular lens into the pouch that holds the natural lens and make sure it's positioned correctly.
The eye's tissue can heal without stitches or sutures, which helps to speed up recovery after cataract surgery. Your cataract surgeon will give you instructions on how to care for your eyes after the procedure.
They will also prescribe eye drops to reduce the risk of infection and inflammation. It will be essential to follow aftercare instructions to ensure your eyes heal properly.
When Will I Notice Results From Cataract Surgery?
Many patients notice improvements in their vision almost immediately after cataract surgery. However, each patient is different, and it may take longer to see results.
The new, clear IOL will make your vision immediately brighter, and colors may seem more vivid. All visual effects of cataracts will be reversed after having cataract surgery. Depending on the IOL you chose, you may experience better vision than before cataracts.
You won't be able to drive the first few days after cataract surgery. You can drive again once your cataract surgeon clears you. Your vision will continue improving in the months after the procedure.
Do you have questions about cataract surgery? Request your appointment at Metropolitan Ophthalmology Associates in McLean, VA, and Chevy Chase, MD, to learn more!