Improving Your Vision

Good vision is an imperative quality of safe driving that enables you to perform such simple tasks as detecting and reading road signs, spotting hazards on the road, and safely driving in unfavorable weather conditions (i.e. rain, haze, dusk, or fog). Good vision also allows you to perform more difficult tasks such as scanning your driving environment in order to recognize possible threats or hazards that are missing from your immediate field of view.

Suggestions for improving mild vision impairment are:

• Follow-up with your eye care professional to evaluate options for vision correction and to get advice on your visual status
• Attempt to adjust when, where, and how often you drive
  • You are at lowest risk to drive in daylight and on familiar routes
• Avoid driving at dusk, night time, in unfavorable weather conditions or visually “busy” environments as these all increase your risk
• If possible, bring a travel companion along whom you find to be attentive to traffic conditions but not a distraction
• Make sure to always wear your prescription glasses (if you have any)
• Keep your windshield, mirrors, and headlights clean
• See your eye doctor every year to screen for age related conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, etc.
• You may also want to explore alternate transportation services in your community or ask a friend or family member if they would be willing to drive you in the event that you are no longer comfortable (it is always better to be prepared!)