Driver, check your eyesight
How often do drivers have their eyes checked? Usually when applying for a driver's license. Later, if no visual impairment is found at this stage, they are no longer required to do so and may downplay the blurred vision. Visually impaired drivers perceive signs too late when driving without glasses or contact lenses, which can lead to sudden maneuvers and dangerous traffic situations.
When we do not notice any signs of visual impairment, it is worth examining the vision at least once every 4 years, because defects may appear or deepen. This should be done more often by drivers over 40, because especially then there is a risk of blindness.
A driver of a car with a visual impairment of -1 diopter (without correction) sees a road sign only from a distance of about 10 meters. A driver without visual impairments or traveling with corrective glasses or contact lenses can see the traffic sign from a distance of approximately 25 meters. This is the distance that gives enough time to adjust the ride to the conditions indicated by the sign. If we have any doubts, it is worth doing a test on our own and checking if we can read license plates from a distance of 20 meters. If the driver fails this test, he should have his vision checked by an ophthalmologist, advises Zbigniew Veseli, director of the Renault driving school.
It happens that the loss of visual acuity is temporary and is associated with overwork. The most common symptoms are burning eyes, watery eyes, and a "sandy feel". In such a situation, it is worth doing several exercises to reduce the tension of the eyeballs, for example, draw a figure eight in the air with the eyes or focus several times on objects that are several tens of centimeters away from us, and then those at a distance. Thus, our vision will rest a little. If symptoms persist and rest and exercise do not help, visual acuity should be checked.
If a driver is diagnosed with a visual impairment, he should always remember to wear appropriate glasses or lenses while driving. It is worth having spare glasses in the car. Visual acuity is essential for road safety.
