Vision plays a vital role in driving, and as a driver it’s important that you ensure you have the best vision possible. To mark Road Safety Week, taking place from 20-26 November, the College of Optometrists has issued advice to drivers encouraging them to ensure their vision is up to standard before getting behind the wheel.
If you are a driver, the College of Optometrists has the following advice for you:
Dr Susan Blakeney, clinical adviser for the College of Optometrists says “Having good vision is an important part of responsible driving. At the College we advise that people over 40 should have their eyes examined at least every two years. We know that poor vision can cause road accidents; research funded by the College and published last year* looked at contributory factors for just over one million injury-collisions. This found that car drivers aged over 60 were more likely to be involved in a crash where a contributory factor was ‘uncorrected, defective eyesight’, and that this contributory factor increased with age. The research also found that ‘dazzling sun’ was a significant issue for older drivers, so we always advise that you have a pair of sunglasses to hand in your car.”
Further information and advice to help look after your eyes can be found on the College’s Look After Your Eyes website: www.lookafteryoureyes.co.uk
*Visual impairment and road safety: Analysis of UK road casualties and contributory factors. Published June 2015. Available on the College of Optometrists website.