New glasses revolutionizing the way people are able to see at night

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Kara Miller was just 30 years old when she started struggling to see while driving at night. A family member offered some advice.

"My grandmother told me about these glasses and I tried them out and I was very pleasantly surprised," said Miller.

Her glasses are among several night vision brands on the market, from Foster Grant to Sharper Image, and lots of smaller brands in between -- at every price point, too. They are made to dull the glare from oncoming headlights, and street lights.

"These glasses may not be the most fashionable things, but they are helpful," said Miller.

Vision specialists say it is not all that clear whether night vision glasses are helpful. In fact, some experts say these tinted glasses could actually cut down on visibility for some people.

"Fundamentally, the concept is when it's dark outside, the more light that your eye has to process, the better. And any potential solution that reduces the amount of light, whether it's through introducing color or polarization, that can lead to more problems than help," said Dr. Andrew Iwach.

While at least one study shows these glasses can help some suffering from night blindness, eye doctors say there are other options to try first.

"Make sure you get a baseline eye examination if you haven't been seen by an ophthalmologist by age 40."

Get a prescription if needed, and then take a closer look at your car's windshield, inside and out.

"Oftentimes people will go to the gas station, clean their windshield on the outside, but on the inside, over time, you can actually develop a fine film of debris, which can actually induce quite a bit of glare," said Dr. Iwach.

Despite what doctors' say, Miller stands by her special shades.

"I would definitely suggest getting some of these glasses," said Miller.