Alcohol consumption impairs night-vision
A swig or two (or more) of any alcoholic beverage can do strange things to our minds and body, but now a new study from the University of Granada in Spain has proven that drinking alcohol also impairs night-vision.
The study published in the international Journal of Ophthalmology tested the retina-image quality and night-vision performance of 67 subjects after they had consumed alcohol. They were then all breath tested with an evidential breath-alcohol analyser used by traffic police in Spain.
Researchers found that alcohol consumptions increased a person’s perception of halos – luminous circles – and other visual disturbances at night, while the image quality produced by the eye deteriorated. The ethanol from alcoholic beverages disturbs the tear-film that covers the surface of the eye which can make it difficult for drivers at night to see pedestrians crossing the road, read traffic signs or might even be “dazzled” by oncoming traffic headlights.
Unsurprisingly, the scientists found that this deterioration of vision is significantly greater in subjects with a blood alcohol content higher than the legal limit for driving, which like in Australia is 0.05 per cent.
Principal study author and lecturer at the university José Juan Castro said this research shows that people need to be aware of the different condition of night-time driving.
“Alcohol consumption and low-illumination conditions are factors present in many traffic accidents, hence people must to be made aware of the effects of alcohol consumption, especially on vision,” he said.