Dealing with glare

Many of our patients are troubled by glare. Often they try simple, inexpensive sunglasses that really are inadequate. We recommend two strategies for outside travel. Hats with a nice brim are helpful. The brim shields direct light from hitting the patient’s eyes. The hats can either be fashionable or something as simple as a baseball cap. Here in New England, a Red Sox hat is always in style. The next suggestion is to use sunshields that fit over prescription glasses.  One company Noir makes 20 different shades of sunshields which fit over regular glasses.  Some are meant for strong sunlight and others for typical days. Our patients usually have their individual preference in the depth of shading. These glasses cost about $60.

Many people may not realize that some homes may also have glare. Big picture windows often can let a great deal of sunlight. Accordingly, many of our patients are bothered by glare inside their homes. When this happens, they very often pull the shades or draw the curtains. Making rooms darker are great for cutting down glare but obviously reduces the amount of light in the room. Light is extremely helpful to low vision patients so solving one problem causes another.  For these situations, we recommend using sunshields in the house. A lightly tinted lens lets in sufficient light while reducing glare.