I have a lazy eye, which was operated on when I was thirteen. We first noticed that my
right eye was becoming more shortsighted when I was about nine, though my left was normal
until fifteen (I wasn't given glasses until 13 - the optician had said that as long as I
could see with the left eye there was no point!!) I now wear contact lenses/glasses for
mild to moderate short sight and the difference in my visual acuity between the two eyes
isn't all that extreme (-2.50 left, -3.75 right). My question is, sometimes I get a
strange disorientated sensation when driving at night. It's something about the white
lines and the kerb. I also get easily dazzled by oncoming headlights. Sometimes, too, I'm
very conscious of not quite being able to per! ceive everything I need to during daylight
in complex traffic situations - width perception is a problem, I'm very cautious about it.
I passed my test first time, but...should I be driving?? And what can I do about it? I've
not had an accident yet!
Anecdotally, I've heard of driving no-hopers who instructors have given up on, and found
out they have squints. Perhaps they would feel less demoralised and depressed if they
understood their problems might be due to a visual problem and not stupidity.
(Christina)
Dear Christina,
Unfortunately, I am unable to judge your problem from a distance. When blinded by
headlights when driving in the dark, one could suspect a minor degree of nightblindness,
but that does not fit to an unability to "perceive everything in complex traffic
situations". The latter could, for instance, fit to an occasional eye migraine, but
it could also be a lot of other things. Have yourself checked by an ophthalmologist to
make sure the problem is not an eye problem, which may very well be the case.
Yours truly,
(Herb Simonsz, MD, PhD)
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