Expert advice to help you stay safe on the roads

To support UN Road Safety Week (16-22/05) Specsavers Ópticas are offering recommendations to ensure drivers stay safe behind the wheel.

Martin Blake from Specsavers Ópticas in Santa Ponça explains, “Good eyesight is a vital part of road safety, which is why the DGT recommends you have an eye test every year and that you carry a spare pair of glasses in the car if you wear them for driving. As our eyesight deteriorates as we age, you also need to have a medical test, including an eye test every 5 years if you’re over 65.

There is more research being done to show that poor vision is often a cause of road accidents. A study released in 2021 led by Queen’s University Belfast highlighted this link and revealed a 46% greater risk of having a road accident among drivers with central visual impairment, compared to drivers with normal vision. In the same study it was shown that drivers with a colour vision defect or blind spots in their vision had a 36% greater risk of being involved in a traffic accident compared to drivers without vision problems.This is why it is important to have regular eye tests to check your vision and wear glasses or contact lenses while driving if you have been prescribed them.

“While we want to encourage all drivers to have an up-to-date eye test to ensure that they can see clearly on the road, for those who do wear glasses, it is also important to ensure that their lenses are suitable for driving too,” says Martin.

“Polarised lenses are also a good option for driving in daylight as they eliminate glare from horizontal surfaces, such as roads, water and snow. They also offer 100% UV protection, improve contrast and help ease the strain on your eyes, so they are particularly good for driving in bright conditions.For those who wear varifocals, it may also be worth considering Specsavers SuperDrive varifocal lenses which have been specially designed with driving in mind. These lenses have a super wide distance and middle-distance zone, to help give you a wide view of what is ahead as well as dashboard and wing mirrors. They also conform to European driving guidelines.

Specs wearers may benefit from having their lenses coated with Specsavers UltraClear SuperClean – an anti-reflection and scratch-resistant treatment. It also has the added benefits of being water-repellent, smudge-resistant and anti-static. This means that lenses have less reflections and reduces dazzle caused by headlights and streetlamps, attract less dust, stay cleaner for longer and are easier to clean, which helps give clarity while driving day or night. 
Clean your glasses before you leave for a trip, as you should never take glasses off to clean them while you are driving. Simply run them under water and use mild washing-up liquid and then rinse well. I recommend using a lens cloth, or microfiber cloth to dry and polish the lenses to avoid streaks and smears.”

Specsavers Ópticas offers free, comprehensive eye tests and can check your eyesight is good, or you are wearing the correct glasses ahead of any medical tests for your driving licence. They can also advise you about the right glasses to wear while driving. Specsavers Ópticas is located in Santa Ponça, on Avda. Rei Jaume I 117, Locales 14 Y 15.

Visit www.specsavers.es to find out more or make an appointment.