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Driving Safety
There are important links between road safety and healthy vision. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, drivers over the age of 55 with an impaired field of vision are twice as likely to be in a car crash. In 2006, The Vision Council published a report about the links between vision and driving. Here are some of the tips for drivers from the report:
- Always wear your prescription eyewear and be sure that your glasses are clean.
- Use sunglasses when appropriate, making sure to avoid frames with wide temple pieces, as they block side vision.
- Investigate anti-reflective or polarized lens to minimize glare.
- If you have trouble driving at night because of difficulty seeing, talk to your eyecare professional.
- Get the big picture when driving. Watch the road ahead and check either side for vehicles, children, animals or hazards.
- Take breaks when driving long distances to reduce eye strain and fatigue.
- Keep headlights, taillights and windshield (both inside and outside) clean.
- Explore options like anti-reflective lens coatings, which may allow up to 8 percent more light to enter the eye.
- Receive eye exams by an eye care professional to ensure that your eyes stay healthy and your prescription remains current.
Click here to download a full copy of the report (.pdf) - ‘Keeping Our Eyes on the Road'
*All content on this page has been approved by The Better Vision Institute - the medical advisory panel of The Vision Council.
