Being prepared and adapting to all weather conditions could make the difference between a safe or stressful and risky journey home.

Now that the days are getting shorter, driving conditions start to change, especially at night, when vision is reduced. In low light and difficult weather conditions, even clearly seeing vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and oncoming cars could be a real challenge for drivers. The drop in visibility can lead to objects appearing in plain view with little time to react. Retaining clear vision in these conditions is vital to feel safe and confident behind the wheel.

When road conditions change and become worse the first step is, of course, to drive more carefully and pay even closer attention to potential hazards. However, this additional level of concentration requires extra effort from your eyes and often results in uncomfortable strain and stress. This is particularly true when trying to combat poor visibility such as; low light, glare from oncoming cars, dazzle from wet roads and often resulting in difficulty refocusing when the eyes switch between the road and dashboard.

As the pupil reacts to light intensity from its surroundings, in low light conditions its diameter is in-between small and large, making spatial perception and distance calculation more difficult for drivers.

Furthermore, glare is often exacerbated at night by the frequency of high luminance headlights. ZEISS vision science researchers found that the blue light spectrum of car headlights and LED technology produces a glare effect perceived by drivers which can reduce the visibility of objects and receptivity of contrast.

Focus is also important for safety on the road, especially when driving in harsh conditions. High levels of concentration are required in order to assess a broad view of the road and effectively evaluate traffic conditions. This level of dynamic vision can be challenging for progressive lens wearers when needing to switch focus between the road, mirrors and dashboard.

ZEISS has recently developed the new Luminance Design® Technology specifically created to provide drivers with clarity and better vision in low light conditions.

ZEISS DriveSafe Lenses take into account the pupil size of the eyes in low-light, helping drivers to detect objects more quickly in conditions where they are more likely to feel stressed and insecure, such as twilight, rainfall or at night. In addition, thanks to a new lens coating, they reduce glare experienced while driving at night by up to 64%, improving visibility and easing eye strain. DriveSafe Lenses also incorporate a 43% larger mid-distance zone for quick and comfortable focus when switching between dashboard and mirrors - offering drivers up to a 14% larger far distance zone for a wider view of the road.

ZEISS DriveSafe Lenses are available in both single vision and progressive lens designs and can be used as a single pair of spectacles for both everyday use and driving.

To become a ‘test driver’ and win a pair of ZEISS DriveSafe Lenses register your interest at http://drivesafe.zeiss.com/en_gb/