DEAR ABBY: I am in my early 50s and have great difficulty driving at night. My daughter says my problem is a "lack of confidence." I say my problem is being unable to SEE.
One night I had to pick up my son outside city limits, and I was scared. I couldn't read the street signs and had difficulty telling how far out of town I was and how close to him I was getting. I didn't have my cell phone with me and couldn't call him.
To me, this vision problem at night could be just as dangerous as driving drunk. Would you please give me your opinion -- is this all in my head? -- GAIL IN TEXAS
DEAR GAIL: Yes and no. Because your eyes are located in your head -- on that score you are correct. However, your problem is your vision, not an overactive imagination.
The person to tell you exactly what is causing the problem with your night vision is an ophthalmologist -- an M.D. who specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases of the eye. He or she can also tell you whether it is correctable or if you should refrain from driving after dark because driving blind is, indeed, as dangerous as driving drunk, and I don't recommend it.