Behind the wheel, the light changes constantly: low sun, reflections on wet roads, headlights from oncoming traffic. Driving glasses are not a special type of eyewear but glasses or sunglasses whose lenses and frame suit these situations. This guide explains what to look for in glasses for driving, with or without a prescription, by day, at dusk and at night.
Key points at a glance
- On sunny days, sunglasses in category 2 or 3 with grey, brown or green lenses work well. Category 4 is not suitable for driving.
- At dusk and at night, wear clear lenses without any tint. That includes yellow and polarised lenses.
- Polarised lenses reduce glare from reflections, for example on wet roads. Displays can look dark through them.
- Photochromic lenses barely darken behind the windscreen. If you wear glasses, an up-to-date prescription and a good anti-reflective coating matter most.
What are driving glasses?
The term driving glasses is not standardised. It describes eyewear that suits what your eyes do in the car: you look far ahead at the road, briefly down at the speedometer and sat nav, and sideways into the mirrors, all in changing light.
Depending on the situation, that means different glasses for driving:
- On sunny days: sunglasses with a suitable tint, with or without a prescription.
- At dusk and at night: glasses with clear lenses and an anti-reflective coating, in the right prescription if you need one.
- With varifocals: varifocal lenses with enough room for distance and intermediate vision.
Some lens manufacturers also offer special driving lenses that, according to the manufacturers, are designed for these situations. Your optician can explain what such driving lenses offer in detail.
Sunglasses for driving: what to look for
If you see well without glasses, the main thing you need in the car is a suitable pair of sunglasses. Three things matter: the filter category, the lens colour and the frame.
Filter category: how dark should driving sunglasses be?
Sunglass lenses are divided into filter categories from 0 to 4. The higher the number, the darker the lens. The category is often printed as “Cat. 3” on the inside of the arm or listed in the product description.
| Category | Tint | For driving |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | clear or barely tinted | Only clear, untinted lenses are also suitable for dusk and night. |
| 1 | light tint | overcast days; not for dusk or night |
| 2 | medium tint | changing light, moderate sunshine |
| 3 | dark tint | bright sun; the usual choice for sunny drives |
| 4 | very dark | glaciers and high mountains; not suitable for driving |
For sunny drives, category 2 or 3 is the right choice. Take your sunglasses off in good time before a tunnel or when dusk falls. If you wear glasses, keep your regular pair within easy reach in the car.
Lens colour: grey, brown or green
Neutral lens colours are best for driving. Grey changes colours the least, brown makes contrasts look a little stronger, and green also shows colours fairly naturally. Strongly coloured lenses, such as blue, red or pink, can distort the colours of traffic lights, brake lights and road signs, so they are not a good choice behind the wheel.
Polarised driving glasses: less glare from reflections
Polarised lenses reduce glare from reflections, for example on a wet road, on the bonnet or on water next to the road.
Two things are worth knowing: displays in the car, on the sat nav or on your phone can look dark through polarised lenses, depending on the angle. And some windscreens show patterns through them. So try the sunglasses in your own car. Our guide to polarised sunglasses explains how polarisation works.
Frame: a clear view to the side
Choose large lenses so that the road and mirrors are in view without a frame edge getting in the way. Slim arms keep your side view clear, which matters when you check your blind spot. A light frame that sits securely won’t slip on long journeys. Metal frames often have slimmer arms than chunky plastic models.
Popular sunglasses for driving
There is no single best pair of glasses for driving, and we have not tested the following models ourselves. They are a selection of popular sunglasses that we currently offer with polarised lenses. You can see which colours are available on each product page.
- Ray-Ban Aviator: the classic pilot sunglasses with a metal frame, large lenses and slim arms.
- Ray-Ban Clubmaster: a browline shape with a bold upper rim and a fine metal rim below.
- Ray-Ban Wayfarer and Justin: plastic classics; the Justin is more rectangular and looks a little sportier. With chunky arms, it is worth checking your blind spot view when you try them on.
- Oakley Holbrook and Holbrook XL: a square Oakley shape for everyday wear, with the XL version for wider faces.
Oakley EYEJACKET REDUX (OO9438 943805)£117.87 P
Oakley HOLBROOK (OO9102 9102D6)£125.07 P
Ray-Ban JUSTIN (RB4165 622/T3)£103.79 P
Oakley TERRAFORMA (OO9530 953006)£119.97 P
Oakley RADAR EV PATH (OO9208 920851)£141.50 P
Oakley HOLBROOK (OO9102 9102O2)£120.07 P
Oakley HOLBROOK (OO9102 9102F0)£121.81 P
Ray-Ban RB3928 001/83£123.74 PGlasses for night driving: clear lenses, no tint
At dusk and at night, little light reaches your eyes anyway, and every tint takes some of it away. That is why tinted lenses are not suitable for driving at dusk or at night. This applies to sunglasses as well as to lightly tinted, yellow or polarised lenses, because a polarising filter always lets only part of the light through.
Photochromic lenses are usually clear in the evening, but some types keep a slight residual tint. If in doubt, ask your optician before wearing them for night driving.
Prescription glasses for night driving
If you wear glasses, two things matter most at night: the right, up-to-date prescription and a good anti-reflective coating. The coating reduces distracting reflections on your lenses, for example from headlights, street lights and the lights inside the car. Keep your lenses clean and as free of scratches as possible, because dirt and scratches scatter light. A hard coating makes plastic lenses more resistant to scratches.
Night driving glasses with yellow lenses: what’s behind them
Glasses with yellow tinted lenses are often sold as night driving glasses. Yellow lenses filter out part of the blue light, and some people find that the image looks higher in contrast. There is no evidence that yellow lenses help you see better at night. Like any tint, they let less light through. For night driving, clear lenses are the better choice.
What helps against glare at night
- Keep the windscreen clean inside and out, and replace worn wiper blades.
- Clean your glasses regularly, ideally with a microfibre cloth.
- When a car comes towards you, look briefly towards the left-hand edge of the road instead of into the headlights.
If you see worse in the dark than you used to, feel strongly dazzled by oncoming traffic or are very sensitive to light, have your eyes examined by an optician or eye doctor. Glasses do not replace this check.
Prescription driving glasses: tips if you wear glasses
The most important thing is a prescription that matches your eyes. Have your eyes tested regularly, especially if you can read road signs later than you used to or feel less confident at night. Some people need distance glasses for driving only, for example if they are slightly short-sighted.
In the UK, if you need glasses or contact lenses to meet the eyesight standard for driving, you must wear them every time you drive. The exact eyesight rules vary from country to country; for the UK, the official guidance on GOV.UK has the details. A spare pair in the glove box is handy.
For sunny days, you will also need prescription sunglasses. Photochromic glasses are not a full substitute: the windscreen blocks most UV radiation, so most photochromic lenses barely darken in the car. Some lens types also react to visible light and get a little darker behind the windscreen, but not as dark as outdoors. Find out more in our guide to photochromic glasses.
Varifocals for driving
You can drive with varifocals, and they let you use one pair of glasses for driving and reading. The distance zone is at the top of the lens, the intermediate zone for the speedometer and sat nav in the middle, and the reading zone at the bottom. Vision is less sharp in the side zones, so it helps to turn your head slightly when you look into the wing mirrors.
If you drive a lot, ask your optician about varifocal lenses with a wide distance and intermediate zone; some lens manufacturers offer versions designed for drivers. With new varifocals, it is best to drive only once you have got used to them in everyday life.
Driving glasses: frequently asked questions
Which type of glasses would make driving more difficult?
Tinted lenses at dusk and at night, including yellow and polarised lenses; very dark category 4 sunglasses; strongly coloured lenses that distort the colours of traffic lights; dirty or scratched lenses; an outdated prescription; and very wide arms that block your view to the side.
Are driving glasses worth it?
That depends on what you mean by driving glasses. Suitable sunglasses for sunny days and, if you need them, prescription glasses with an anti-reflective coating are worth having. Yellow night driving glasses are not a good choice for driving in the dark, because every tint lets less light through.
What should I know about sunglasses for driving and UK law?
Sunglasses sold in the UK use the same filter categories from 0 to 4 as in the rest of Europe. Category 4 lenses are not suitable for driving, and tinted lenses do not belong behind the wheel at dusk or at night.
This article does not replace medical advice.
