Thumbs down for yellow ‘night vision’ lenses

September 8, 2019 Staff reporters

A Harvard Medical School Schepens Eye Research Institute study has found there’s no benefit to yellow lenses for night driving and they may actually hinder driver reaction times.

Published in Jama Ophthalmology, the study used driver and headlight glare (HLG) simulator technology. It found yellow lens night driving glasses did not improve pedestrian detection nor reduce the negative effects of HLG on pedestrian detection at night and, in fact, appeared to further slow drivers’ response times.

“Wearing (tinted) glasses - whether they are yellow, red or blue - cuts out a chunk of light, which means this is the same as wearing sunglasses while driving at night,” study lead Alex Hwang told Reuters.