Prescription Glasses and Spatial Awareness During Driving

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christinejarvis21
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27 Nov 2022, 1:22 pm

Last month,
I was seen by an ophthalmologist, and he said I needed prescription glasses for I believe it was nearsightedness, my lenses are only single vision lenses. Because every time I drive, I have trouble with spatial awareness and it's hard seeing from a distance because when i try judging something from a distance my spatial awareness is horrible. So, I was given these glasses last month and I've been forgetting to wear them and I'm still having trouble looking at things from a distance and I was wondering if it's just because I'm not consistently wearing the glasses and how long until i can see improvement with the glasses if there is any improvement. Or are the glasses not working and I need to figure something else out for the spatial awareness because my driving is still an issue.



autisticelders
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27 Nov 2022, 3:46 pm

I have struggled with proprioception all my life due to my autism. I thought it was problems with depth perception but not just that. I have only 25th percentile visual processing so things in motion are extra difficult for me to understand and process quickly. I have been driving for over 50 years, very carefully (defensive driving!) and so far so good. I really need prescription glasses because my farsighted vision is so poor ( I am nearsighted by description). It doesn't make much difference in my 'depth perception" proprioception unless the prescription is really out of date ( just as there would be disaster if I tried to drive without corrective lenses that do fix my other visual problems)

Some sorts of spatial awareness and depth perception problems supposedly can be helped through the right therapy (see occupational therapists and some of the specialties they have).
Nothing seems to help mine, I just compensate the best I can and avoid doing many things because of my visual processing struggles. ( like playing games where I am supposed to catch a ball )
So far I have a good safety record driving, but others may not be as lucky depending on their own neurology.


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ToughDiamond
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27 Nov 2022, 11:30 pm

I can see a lot better with contact lenses, and wouldn't feel as safe driving with glasses. I get less double vision with contacts, for one thing. And there's less flare with good contacts. I just wish they'd go back to old-school "hard" lenses. Gas-permeables might help to keep the eyes oxygenated but the don't give the same visual acuity. I think as long as the wearing time is kept to a minimum they're probably not that dangerous. I've never gone for soft lenses because they're expensive and I'm told they're not as good for seeing. I've never noticed a problem with spatial awareness and glasses myself.

Another way is to have an eye operation to correct the myopia, but I've heard it doesn't always work right, and I hate the thought of an operation, especially on my eyes. Plus I have very good close vision without contacts or glasses, and that would be lost.



kitesandtrainsandcats
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28 Nov 2022, 10:55 am

christinejarvis21 wrote:
and I'm still having trouble looking at things from a distance and I was wondering if it's just because I'm not consistently wearing the glasses and how long until i can see improvement with the glasses if there is any improvement.


That could be, any skill which is not regularly acted on development of it will be spotty.

Since I've worn glasses for half a century now all memory of the 'before' time has evaporated & therefore I can't offer specific learning advice.
But I expect it is a lot easier to determine the location of things around you when they are finally in focus.

One thing I do remember is right after getting glasses I was so fascinated watching the baseball Dad tossed to me spin that I had to reflexively put my hands up to keep from getting hit in the face! 8O :lol:

Quote:
Or are the glasses not working and I need to figure something else out for the spatial awareness because my driving is still an issue.


There is possibility that the spatial awareness thing may have its origin elsewhere.
Maybe even in the actual structure of the brain;
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2 ... 141336.htm
Might be a thing to do to ask how that possibility would be investigated.

Quote:
Area of brain linked to spatial awareness and planning also plays role in decision making

Date:
July 11, 2019
Source:
University of Chicago Medical Center
Summary:
Neuroscientists show that the posterior parietal cortex (PPC), an area of the brain often associated with planning movements and spatial awareness, also plays a crucial role in making decisions about images in the field of view.


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