Does Astigmatism Have an Impact on Driving Performance?

If you’ve ever been to the eye doctor (which we certainly hope you have!), you’ve probably heard the word “astigmatism” thrown around at some point. And, this is for good reason, as astigmatism is one of the most common vision issues out there. A recent study conducted in Sichuan, China found that out of 21,415 children examined, 61.70% were found to have astigmatism. The issue was more common for students in older grades, meaning that the chance of developing astigmatism likely increases with age.

Blurred vision is a hallmark symptom of astigmatism, which can make performing certain everyday tasks more difficult. Driving presents a particular challenge for some, but not all, astigmatic individuals. While effective corrective measures like lenses or surgery exist, they aren’t always the most comfortable or safe. In this article, we’ll discuss what astigmatism is and how to deal with it, as well as the potential pitfalls related to driving with astigmatism.

What Is Astigmatism?

In a perfectly functioning eye, light passes through the cornea and lens. From there, it reaches a single focal point on the retina, a membrane at the back of the eye responsible for perceiving light. When everything works properly, those rays all converge accurately onto the retina, allowing sharp, clear sight.

Astigmatic eyes are a little different. While several factors can cause astigmatism, the most common is a physically elongated eye. This means your eye will look more like a football than a baseball. As a result, the astigmatic eye doesn’t focus light as effectively onto the retina – it slightly misdirects it instead. This is how astigmatism affects your vision.

Blurred vision is the most common result of astigmatism. The severity of this symptom, however, is highly variable. People with mild cases may go through life without ever noticing any defects in their vision. However, more severe astigmatism often requires extensive correction.

Detecting Astigmatism

Checking for astigmatism is a routine component of most eye exams. As astigmatism can strongly affect visual acuity, ophthalmologists often catch it while testing eyesight using Snellen charts. If you experience difficulty reading smaller lines during that eye test, it generally indicates that you have a vision disorder.

These days, there is another common way to detect astigmatism in most optometry offices: the keratometer. A keratometer is a device that casts light on the eye and then measures its reflection in order to determine the shape of the cornea. Instrumental for physicians working to fit a client with contacts, keratometers can also help diagnose astigmatism by revealing abnormally shaped eyes.

Similar but more advanced technology may be en route. Wavefront analysis has broken new ground in laser eye surgery by allowing surgeons to accurately determine the exact refractory index of an eye. The technology has shown promise when used as an eye examination tool. It may also help ophthalmologists catch astigmatism in the future.

Treating Astigmatism

Thankfully, treating astigmatism tends to be relatively straightforward. Corrective eyeglasses address the problem by providing focusing light to specific parts of the wearer’s eye, compensating for distortions caused by astigmatism.

Contact lenses are also popular. Soft contacts aren’t always the best solution, as they mimic the shape of the eyeball (the basic problem behind many cases of astigmatism). However, rigid lenses work well, as do specialized toric soft contacts. Toric lenses are shaped slightly differently from standard, spherical contacts. Their irregular design creates differing focal strengths around the lens, allowing them to address the specific complications of astigmatism.

However, an astigmatism diagnosis doesn’t always mean you need to rush to order glasses or contacts. Depending on the severity of your case, you may be able to strengthen your vision enough through your diet. Research suggests that a diet high in vision-enhancing vitamins and minerals may help clear up some of the astigmatic blur. Eye vitamins, like the Ocu-Plus Formula, could help you avoid the prospect of costly surgery and sometimes may even allow you to ditch your corrective lenses. You can also try specific eye exercises for astigmatism to strengthen your vision.

Driving Difficulties

Even with treatment, astigmatism can make driving a risky activity. For most, this typically applies to night driving. Astigmatism is notorious for giving sufferers severely reduced night vision, possibly due to pupil dilation in low-light conditions, which can exacerbate focal difficulties.

Astigmatism may cause the sufferer to see halos, blurring, and severe distortion in certain conditions – particularly when driving in areas with different amounts of lights at night. Increased darkness worsens all these difficulties. It may even get to the point where activities that require a high degree of visual acuity, such as driving, become difficult or even impossible to do safely.

Corrective lenses are also more likely to cause complications at night. Most astigmatic individuals wear either glasses or contacts. Glasses can create glare, which is especially noticeable with artificial lighting after dark. Contacts can be even worse – if not kept well-hydrated, they can dry out after a long day, causing discomfort and worsened sight.

Astigmatism and Night Driving

If driving at night with astigmatism is a particular concern, then certain steps can help. Glasses with anti-reflective treatment are much less likely to worsen glare than other options. They can also help cut down on visual distortions in low light. Contact wearers should inquire about hybrid lenses. Some contacts specially designed to treat astigmatism have a rigid outer rim, but a more flexible center. These hybrid lenses may offer a better solution for some.

There are also other steps you can take to make driving at night with astigmatism easier. First, avoid looking directly at oncoming headlights. Instead, train your eyes to look down and to the right of the headlights. This will not only ensure that you see the oncoming car, but also that your astigmatism won’t distort the lights coming your way as badly.

Dimming the lights in your vehicle can also minimize the impact of astigmatism on night driving. Yes, that means figuring out how to make that big shiny new screen display in your car glow less brightly at night. Minimizing the brightness around you as much as possible will make it easier to see what’s on the road, especially if you suffer from astigmatism.

Finally, try not to drive when you are tired. When your eyes are tired, your astigmatic symptoms worsen. Plus, lack of sleep significantly reduces reaction time, which is even more dangerous if you are driving with blurry vision. Adequate rest is key to safe driving.

Living with Astigmatism

Despite all advances in corrective technology, some individuals with astigmatism will still find themselves unable to drive safely. Licensing regulations vary from state to state. Physicians will evaluate most individuals with extremely poor vision to determine what conditions they’re able to drive in. There are special simulators that can help physicians know what is best, and researchers are using simulators to investigate ways they can help people with low vision learn to drive, too. If you have astigmatism or another issue that impacts your vision, it’s possible to receive a license that allows driving during the day, but with a condition that states that the holder is unable to legally drive at night.

If you do find yourself limited by your astigmatism, then it’s time to start looking into public transit options. Fortunately, states are required by law to provide adequate transport to individuals with low vision. Many metropolitan areas will also have curbside pickup paratransit services available to visually impaired users. So, living with astigmatism is not impossible, especially when you work to incorporate eye-healthy habits into your daily routine.