eye care support

Driving and Vision

Regular eye examinations help ensure you meet the visual demands of driving and detect any issues early.

Good vision is essential for safe driving. Around one in five drivers has a vision problem that could affect their driving performance, yet most issues can be corrected with appropriate eye care. Because 90% of driving decisions rely on sight, regular eye examinations play a key role in road safety.

Many vision changes occur gradually and may go unnoticed.

Your optometrist recommends

  • Have your vision checked regularly, especially if you drive often
  • Wear your prescribed driving glasses consistently
  • Minimise night driving if glare is troublesome
  • Use mirrors effectively and turn your head to compensate for reduced side vision
  • Take extra care when overtaking if depth perception is reduced
  • Keep windscreens and mirrors clean and free of scratches
  • Ensure headlights are correctly aligned and functioning
  • Reduce speed—vision problems become more significant at higher speeds
AP

Important visual skills for driving

Clear distance vision helps you see road signs, hazards and other vehicles in time to react. Even simple driving reactions take at least 0.4 seconds, and poor distance vision reduces the time available to respond—especially at higher speeds.

Accurate depth perception helps you judge distances when overtaking, merging or changing lanes. It relies on both eyes working together effectively and becomes more critical as speed increases.

Peripheral vision allows you to detect movement and hazards to the sides without turning your head. A typical field of vision spans about 180 degrees, but this narrows as speed increases.

Good eye alignment supports comfortable two-eyed vision, depth perception and a stable field of view. Fatigue, alcohol and some medications can reduce muscle balance, making small alignment issues more noticeable.

Drivers constantly shift focus between the road, mirrors and dashboard. Accommodation—the ability to change focus quickly between distances—helps keep this effortless.

Driving at night requires the ability to see in low light and recover quickly from glare. Night vision naturally decreases with age, and glare sensitivity increases. Slowing down can help compensate.
Sunglasses should never be worn at night.

Recognising colours is important for interpreting traffic lights, brake lights and warning signs. People with colour-vision deficiencies can often compensate by using the position and brightness of signals.