Best Driving Lenses. See Better. Drive Safer.
Even here in Melbourne CBD, our patients raise concerns about their vision while driving, particularly at night. Glare from oncoming headlights, blurriness in low light, or just a general sense that things aren't as sharp as they should be. It's easy to understand why: when you're behind the wheel, good vision isn't just about comfort, it's a safety issue for you, your passengers, and everyone else on the road.
The good news is that optical lens technology has come a long way in addressing exactly these concerns. Two companies in particular — ZEISS and Shamir — have developed lenses purpose-built for the demands of driving. Below is a summary of both products, which we offer here at SEASONS Optical
Zeiss Drive Safe
Zeiss Drive safe lens technology is designed to provide comfortable vision behind the wheel, especially when driving at night and in difficult light conditions.
ZEISS DriveSafe lenses are built around the idea that your pupil size changes based on different lighting conditions. Think about how your eyes feel driving home at dusk, or in the rain with headlights coming at you. That uncomfortable glare and the slight blurriness happens because your pupils are caught in-between: not daylight and not darkness. Standard lenses don't account for this at all. Drive Safe lenses are shaped to work in these tricky in-between conditions so your vision is sharper and less distorted.
In addition to the actual Drive Safe lens technology, Zeiss have developed a further driving specific lens coating called "Duravision Plus Drive Safe"
This coating is designed for night glare. Rather than just reducing reflections like a standard anti-glare lens, DriveSafe's coating is tuned to block the specific wavelengths of light that cause the most discomfort from oncoming headlights and streetlights.
Zeiss Drive Safe lens and Duravision Plus Drive Safe Coating
https://www.zeiss.com.au/vision-care/need-new-lenses/drivesafe-single-vision-lenses.html
Shamir Driver Intelligence
In collaboration with Formula 1 team BWT Alpine Shamir has recently released Shamir Driver Intelligence.
The lens design addresses a problem most people don't know they have: Night Myopia. At night, our vision actually shifts slightly meaning that objects at distance become blurrier than they are during the day. Standard prescription lenses don't correct for this. Shamir Driver Intelligence does. Combined with a very low-reflection coating, the lens is specifically engineered for the conditions that make night driving most stressful.
Specifically with the Alpine Formula 1 team Shamir undertook head and eye-tracking research by collecting data on where drivers actually look, how fast they move their eyes, and how they scan mirrors and instruments to shape the lens design from the ground up.
They claim that Driver Intelligence results in a 16% reduction in visual processing effort compared to standard lenses; 33% wider horizontal visual field; 15% faster reaction time at night and 11% faster during the day.
https://shamir.com/for-professionals/shamir-driver-intelligence/
I'm interested, what now?
If improving your vision whilst driving has ever been on your mind, it's worth knowing that driving lens technology has come a long way. The right pair of lenses can make a genuine difference to how comfortable and confident you feel behind the wheel. Whether you're after an everyday lens that handles all conditions, or a dedicated solution for night driving. Both the Zeiss Drive Safe and Shamir Driver Intelligence lenses are available at SEASONS Optical Melbourne. We're happy to walk you through the options at your next appointment. Good vision behind the wheel isn't something to leave to chance. Book your comprehensive eye test here in Melbourne CBD online or call us today.