Night vision refers to the ability to see in low lighting conditions. And humans have poor night vision as compared to some animals due to lack of tapetum lucidum in the human eyes, a biological reflector system which enhances your visual sensitivity in low light situations.
Activities like night driving is the biggest challenge for many people. Because when it is dark, the depth of field gets minimized accompanied by the glare (combination of dim and bright lights) which interferes with your vision, disabling you from seeing clearly. And while you are struggling to see in an extreme bright light, your eyes tend to squint and become teary causing eyestrain. It can be very dangerous for your life too. So, this is where night vision goggles (or night driving glasses) play an important role.
Also known as speciality glasses, night vision glasses help you see clear in extreme darkness by magnifying the surrounding light and the objects. They cut down the glare from headlights of cars and other vehicles and add contrast to roads and night-time objects so that you see clearly and comfortably.
Apart from night driving, there are other night-time activities that require you to wear night vision optics:
When in the dark, the dim light made of photons, enters the lenses of your night riding glasses from the front, your goggles strike photocathode, a light-sensitive surface boosting a dark scene to help you see clearly. Thanks to the technology in your eyewear.
Technology Used in Night Vision Goggles
There are two different techniques used in night vision sunglasses:
Image Enhancement- Also known as the light amplification technology, it relies on image intensifier tube, a special tube which collects and then magnifies visible light and infrared light. Means, it converts photons into electrons and then back to photons.
Thermal Imaging- It is a technology used in NVDs or night vision devices like cameras and speciality goggles that detects thermal radiation between the background and foreground objects and produce an image even in the darkest environment enabling a person to see through smoke, rain and light fog.
Generally, night vision sunglasses have yellow-tinted lenses that make objects appear sharper and easy to recognize in dim light. These goggles feature an anti-glare or anti-reflective coating that help reduce the glare caused by bright lights which is an obstacle in your vision. These anti glare glasses for night driving are available in different styles for both men and women.
Night vision glasses use a special technology that works by detecting body heat through infrared light and magnifies the objects in low lighting conditions, enabling you to see in the dark. They are available as night goggles for bikers and for car users.
Night vision goggles are like electro-optical devices that capture the surrounding light (from then moon and stars) and magnify it to produce an image. As this ambient light passes through the lenses of your night vision sunglasses, it meets photocathode, a negatively charged electrode. This produces an image which is further magnified by your goggles.
These eyeglasses have become popular over the years. Initially, they were restricted only to fewer activities like observing wildlife in the dark, hunting, for military purposes, etc. Now, they are being used by people who ride and drive at night. Reviews are good as there are goggles that are light in weight yet great in quality.