We’re lucky to live in a time when we can all hope to enjoy a longer life span and we would all like as many healthy, productive years as possible. For most people driving is a vital tool in maintaining independence and contributes hugely to quality of life. But as we age there are several changes that can occur in formerly healthy eyes, which could have an impact on safe driving. So for you or an elderly person near to you, let’s just make sure we’re aware of what to look out for…..
Our standard of good vision can decrease with age, and if changes are gradual then it takes the patient a while to notice potential problems. Regular eye examinations are vital to ensure that all is well. The normal process of ageing can lead to drivers not seeing road signs clearly, not recognising hazards, or being able to judge speeds and distance.
How well we can see around us – our peripheral vision can also have a huge impact on our safety. Problems with mobility of the neck and shoulders and eye disease such as Glaucoma can lead to poor judgement when pulling out of junctions, less awareness of cyclists, and is generally considered to be one of the biggest potential problems for older drivers. Again, regular eye exams will spot the earliest signs of visual field loss.
Eye conditions such as cataract, and general health problems such as Parkinson’s disease can lead to problems with contrast sensitivity – this affects our colour perception and depth perception. During day and night driving sufferers may also be less able to see hazards, signage and pedestrians.
Eye health problems related to age such as cataract and macular degeneration can leave patients with clear vision in one eye only, leading to narrower peripheral vision and poor depth perception in some cases. This may not be a huge problem if patients are aware that they need to turn their heads more and their general health and mobility are good.
The key as always is vigilance to potential health problems, and regular assessment for signs that GPS or opticians may spot that the patient has not noticed yet. Then we can all enjoy safer roads and many years of happy motoring!