Vision & Driving as We Age | Older Driver Safety Awareness Week

The first week in December is “Older Driver Safety Awareness Week.” Driving is a wonderful privilege we get as adults, and we all want to maintain this freedom as long as we can.
 
Our physical and sensory abilities change as we age. Understanding common age-related changes, such as delayed reaction time and seeing less well in the dark, is the first step in older driver safety. 

Taking measures to keep your eyes healthy and persevere your vision is the second step to keep you driving safely as you age. 
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Age-Related Vision Changes That Can Affect Safe Driving

​Certain changes in vision become more common, the older we get. In addition, certain eye diseases are more likely to develop with age. Here are some of the more common age-related vision changes:
 
Cataracts
Cataracts are more common with age. The condition can develop when the proteins in the eyes clump or stick together. The lens in the eye becomes cloudy, which causes blurry vision and may create the illusion of halos when looking at the light. Cataract surgery can treat the condition. For more information about cataracts and cataract treatment, please visit our Cataracts webpage.
 
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye disease that can develop if pressure builds up in the eye. It leads to damage of the optic nerve. Glaucoma is more common in older adults and can lead to vision loss. Medication may be helpful in slowing the progression of glaucoma. For more information about glaucoma and glaucoma treatment, please visit our Glaucoma webpage.
 
Reduced Night Vision
Aging of the photoreceptors in the eyes may decrease the ability to see clearly at night. There is not much that can be done to treat age-related reduced night vision. Driving slower, leaving more distance between you and other cars, and allowing more time for travel may help you to drive safer at night.
 
Presbyopia
Presbyopia is one of the most common age-related eye changes. As we get older, the lenses in the eyes change and become less flexible. The decrease in flexibility may make it hard to see things clearly up close. Glasses are often helpful to treat presbyopia.
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How Vision May Affect Driving As We Age

​Eye / vision changes and diseases can affect your clarity when driving in a variety of ways, including the following:

• Difficulty reading street signs: Changes in vision may lead to problems reading street signs in the distance.
• Trouble seeing clearly at night: Reduced night vision is one of the most frequent vision changes and can interfere with your ability to drive at dusk, dawn, and during the night.
• Issues with glare: Age-related changes to the lenses of the eyes cause light that enters the eye to scatter, instead of focus on the retina. This creates more glare. 
• Misjudgment of distance: Misjudgment of distance might involve stopping short, turning too wide, or following a driver at an inappropriate distance.
• Vision scanning deficiencies: Certain eye diseases may interfere with proper eye movement, creating vision-scanning problems. This means is may be difficult to detect pedestrians entering a crosswalk or seeing cars turning in front of you. 

Protecting Your Vision & Driving Safely 

​Protecting your eyes can help you continue to drive safely as you get older and maintain your independence. Consider the following tips:

• Have regular eye exams: Having regular eye exams is a vital way to keep your eyes healthy, so you can drive safely. Comprehensive eye exams can spot changes to your eyes before certain conditions progress or are even noticeable to you. Early diagnosis and treatment may prevent vision loss.
• Wear glasses if you need them: Talk to your eye doctor about vision changes and driving. You may need to wear glasses when driving.
• Have eyeglass prescriptions updated as needed: Your eyes typically change the older you get. An eyeglass prescription you got in your 40s may not be right for you in your 60s. An eyeglass prescription you got in your early 60s may not be right for you in your mid 60s, or even the year following. Make sure to have annual eye exams and update your eyeglass lens as needed to keep you seeing well.
• Adjust your seat to reduce glare: Setting your seat so you can see at least ten feet in front of your car can decrease glare from the oncoming headlights.
• Keep your windshield clean: Keeping your windows and mirrors clean may decrease glare and improve clarity when driving.
• Be conscientious: Regardless of your age, it’s vital to follow commonsense safe driving practices. For example, check your blind spot often when driving. Don’t drive distracted. Pay attention to the road. Never check your phone while driving. Although we all know the rules of the road, it’s helpful to remind yourself of the responsibility you have to yourself, other drivers on the road, and people around you when you are behind the wheel.

 
Lastly, it’s essential to be honest about your ability to drive as you age. For instance, ask yourself if you are having trouble seeing at night, reading street signs, or any other changes in your ability to see well as you drive. You can also ask a loved one for their input, like are you straining to see or missing turns because you can’t see the signs.  
 
If any of the answers are yes, it may be time to reassess if it is still safe to drive and in what situations. For example, some older adults may still be comfortable driving during the day, but they might want to consider avoiding driving at night. If you’re not sure, you can always speak with your eye doctor about whether the changes you’re experiencing are correctable or treatable or not. 
 
Thank you for reading! We hope you found these tips helpful to continue to maintain healthy eyes and drive safely. Safe driving is so important. We invite you to share these tips with anyone you think might benefit from them. In addition, we are happy to answer any questions you have. If you would like to schedule an appointment with one of our eye doctors, please call our office at 508-746-8600.