The commercial or owner operator truck driver’s occupation can take its toll on night vision. Long hours on the road over the years expose the trucker to harsh lighting, a poor diet, and lack of exercise. On top of these are the inevitable effects of getting older. Over time, all of these factors diminish your ability to see at night. If you are starting to notice difficulties with your night vision, here are three possible causes and how to deal with them:
Your Age and the Effects of Glare
Night glare affects everyone. However, your ability to cope with it diminishes with age. As you get older, the pupils of the eyes take longer to recover from blinding road glare. In addition, everyone after age 40 experiences presbyopia, which diminishes your ability to focus on close-up objects. This makes reading small print more difficult. At some point, most adults will require reading glasses to compensate. Presbyopia can worsen to the point where road signs become difficult to read in the dark.
Long hours of road glare combined with age related eye changes can cause severe eyestrain. When this happens, eye fatigue, blurred vision, and even double vision can occur. This may seem scary but it’s readily managed by seeing your eye doctor and getting either prescription glasses or contacts and wearing them when you drive.
You should avoid headlight glare by looking at the right edge of the road when passing oncoming traffic. Give your eyes a break by taking frequent rest stops. During these breaks, avoid reading, especially your mobile and computer devices.
Nutrition Deficiency
If you’ve spent years eating nothing but fast food, there is a chance that you are suffering from a nutrition deficiency. This can manifest itself in many ways. But a diet lacking in vitamin A will adversely affect your night vision. In fact, if the deficiency is severe, it can cause night blindness.
Foods high in vitamin A are fish, milk, liver, fortified cereals, broccoli, cantaloupe, squash, and carrots. Vitamin A supplements are also effective. In order to properly absorb vitamin A, the body also requires zinc. Beans, nuts, dairy products, red meat, and poultry are good sources. Oysters are especially rich in zinc.
Underlying Health Problems
Diabetes and eye cataracts are two possible causes of poor night vision. Preventing cataracts requires protecting your eyes from the sun’s ultra violet rays. This only comes about from a lifetime habit of wearing UV blocking sunglasses. You should also avoid other sources of UV such as tanning rooms. Staying on top of other health issues such as diabetes requires regular visits to your doctor and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Protect yourself from financial hardship by getting Florida commercial or owner operator truck insurance. For answers to any questions you may have, feel free to contact us at J.E.B. Insurance Services.
