3 ms·

70 isn't old.

• jeffbee 4y ago
  The visual acuity of a 70-year-old is roughly on par with a 20-year-old wearing dark sunglasses at night.
  • Gordonjcp 4y ago
    That's not actually true. Although it's bizarre because in the US 70-year-olds seem incredibly frail compared to 70-year-olds anywhere else.
    • jeffbee 4y ago
      It is true. At night a 70-year-old person is basically blind. They can't cope with oncoming headlights because their pupils take seriously minutes to make adjustments that a young eye can make in seconds. Old pupils don't open as wide as young pupils. Old eyes have only half the rod receptors a young eye has. These effects are already noticeable to people at age 50. The elderly can only drive safely under ideal conditions: sun high, not on the horizon, not at night, in clear weather where nobody is using their headlights.
      • zimpenfish 4y ago
        > They can't cope with oncoming headlights [at night] One of the reasons I stopped driving 20 years ago (~30) was because I have this problem. Made night driving much more stressful.
      • Gordonjcp 4y ago
        That'll be why it's all people half my age (I'm about 50) who are terrified of driving at night because they can't see properly, and I (and people my age) can read the number the guy in the car in front is calling on his phone, then.