Blinded at Night

What Actually Changed

If driving at night has become harder than it used to be, you’re not imagining it.

Many people describe the same experience:

• Oncoming headlights feel blinding rather than helpful

• The road briefly disappears after cars pass

• Glare lingers longer than expected

• Confidence fades, even on familiar routes

This isn’t limited to older drivers.
It isn’t explained by a single diagnosis.
And it isn’t simply “the way it’s always been.”

The night has changed.

Over the past decade, vehicle headlights have become brighter, whiter, and more sharply focused. LED and HID systems project intense light farther down the road, with colour temperatures closer to daylight.

Why This Affects Everyone

Night glare is often framed as an aging issue. That explanation doesn’t hold up.

• Younger drivers experience it.

• People with healthy eye exams report it.

• Professional drivers describe the same fatigue.

Glare overwhelms human visual processing regardless of age.

Short-wavelength white light scatters inside the eye, reducing contrast and delaying recovery. When this happens repeatedly, the eyes never fully settle into night adaptation.

This isn’t personal failure.
It’s environmental overload.

What “Being Blinded” Actually Means

Most drivers don’t lose sight completely.

Instead, they experience:

• Reduced contrast

• Blurred edges

• Washed-out shadows

• Delayed recovery after light exposure

The road remains visible — but not reliably readable.

That uncertainty is what creates strain and erodes confidence.
It’s environmental overload.

What Helps

There is no single fix. There are reliable ways to reduce the impact of headlight glare.

• Using gaze strategies that protect central vision

• Tracking road edges instead of staring into light

• Setting up the vehicle to support night vision

• Pacing driving to allow visual recovery

• Choosing routes and timing that reduce exposure

The most effective changes come from understanding how vision works at night — and driving in ways that support it.

The Full Guide

If you’re looking for a calm, complete resource, the book Blinded at Night gathers this understanding into one place.

Many people have been adapting to night driving quietly, without language for what they’re experiencing.

Once something is named clearly, it becomes manageable.

The night doesn’t need to be mastered.
It needs to be met.

Why This Page Exists

Why Modern Headlights Feel Overwhelming at Night— and What Actually Helps

It covers:

• What changed on the road

• How human night vision works (plain language)

• What to do when facing headlight glare

• How to set up your car for night driving

• Driving rhythms that reduce strain

• When tools like night driving glasses help — and when they don’t

• How to choose when to drive without shame

At the same time:

• Vehicles became taller

• Traffic density increased

• Headlight alignment tolerances narrowed

• Glare events became more frequent

Human vision, however, did not change.

Our eyes are designed for gradual shifts in light — not repeated bursts of concentrated brightness in darkness.

For many drivers, the result is not total blindness, but momentary loss of usable vision.

Stay Informed

Get tips and updates on night driving safety