Does staring at car headlight cause vision problem?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a police officer and tonight we were looking for a specific car. This entailed me staying in one spot and looking at the license plate of oncoming cars. As the cars come in I am staring at the license plate trying to read it while also looking right into its headlights. I felt a pain in my left eye as I was staring and trying to read the plate. I am not sure if it is just me worrying too much. I hope I did not damage my vision from the headlights. Could car headlights cause damage to my vision?

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Staring at bright lights for a while causes transient bleaching of the photoreceptors of the retina. This is universal and normal. When one stares at bright light, one needs some time to recover the function. So, please do not worry. Staring at car headlights is not worrisome if it is not continuous. Routine car headlights do not cause permanent or temporary damage. Blink frequently. You may also use glasses with antiglare coating. Take care.