Arrrgh, matey, it’s not safe to try to see 3D while driving. Though it is so cool and I feel like I am delivering papers in the Paperboy video game when my 3D vision pops in, I accepted the fact that I need to close one eye or wear a patch while driving. I simply have had too many instances where things have shifted or I had had double vision with both of my eyes open.
Below I illustrated some of the instances:
Once, I thought that I had a green light, when, really I had a red arrow.
Another time, I thought the curb was further away, but then it jumped and I was in a ditch. Luckily, a truck came by and could pull my Jeep out.
And another time, I thought the yellow line jumped and was floating above my wheels which was really distracting.
Initially, I was very concerned and thought my vision was actually getting worse with therapy, but I spoke with Dr. Nate about this and he said that this is a normal part of therapy. His solutions were to either drive with one eye closed or patched. I went with the closing one eye option. It allows me to switch back and forth between my eyes easily while I drive, in case one gets fatigued.
So if you experience things jumping around while you drive, don’t worry, you’re not crazy! It’s part of the process, but please talk to your optometrist about it, so (s)he knows it is happening and can help you come up with a solution.
>>>>UPDATE!
Dr. Nate came up with an even safer solution! Instead of closing one eye and not having any peripheral vision, I can attach a piece of black paper to my sunglasses while driving. After some experimenting, I found that tack instead of tape works best. Also, black paper with a matte finish is great to use because the light is absorbed rather then reflected back into your eye. Here are some images below:
As usual, if there is something you would like for me to write about or if you have a question about my vision therapy experience, please fill out my contact form.
Until next time,
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