| As a minimum legal requirement to ensure
| |
| | and contact lenses should be kept
|
| safe driving, drivers should display
| |
| | scrupulously clean to ensure a clear
|
| visual acuity of 20/40 with or without
| |
| | field of vision.
|
| corrective lenses. Restrictions
| |
| | * Wearers of contact lenses, and
|
| generally apply to those with acuity
| |
| | sufferers from hay fever, should also
|
| between 20/41 and 20/70, limiting them to
| |
| | keep a spare pair of glasses in the auto.
|
| driving in daylight hours only.
| |
| | Switching to a pair of glasses when
|
| A 120 degree wide field of view is the
| |
| | travelling long distances offers some
|
| minimum legal requirement for peripheral
| |
| | respite for tired, watery eyes.
|
| vision in order to qualify for a license
| |
| | * If you need to wear prescription
|
| without restrictions (in some states the
| |
| | glasses to drive, never replace them with
|
| threshold is higher at 140 degrees).
| |
| | non-prescription sunglasses. It is
|
| This is with or without corrective
| |
| | illegal and does not make for safe
|
| lenses.
| |
| | driving. Instead, buy a pair of
|
| If you are a wearer of telescopic lenses,
| |
| | prescription sunglasses, or use clip-on
|
| a useful driving aid for sufferers of
| |
| | lenses over your prescription lenses. A
|
| diminished visual acuity whose peripheral
| |
| | cautionary note: You should make sure
|
| vision remains virtually intact, you will
| |
| | that your clip-on lenses are suitable for
|
| be subject to special requirements and
| |
| | plastic lenses.
|
| additional testing.
| |
| | * In adverse weather conditions where
|
| Telescopic lens wearers must include the
| |
| | visability is poor, such as heavy rain or
|
| ability to locate stationary and moving
| |
| | snow, never wear tinted glasses. This
|
| objects within the telescopic field, and
| |
| | rule is equally applicable to tinted
|
| the ability to adjust successfully to
| |
| | motorbike helmets.
|
| changes in light levels, especially
| |
| | Safe driving also means "vision care" or
|
| during inclement weather. Excessive
| |
| | essential checks for your auto. Don't
|
| contrast and glare sensitivity also
| |
| | restrict your view by putting
|
| compromises safe driving.
| |
| | non-essential stickers on the windows of
|
| As a responsible driver, then, you should
| |
| | your vehicle, or hanging objects such as
|
| be aware of breaking the law if you fail
| |
| | dolls or dice where they might prove a
|
| to meet these visual standards every time
| |
| | distraction.
|
| you switch on your engine. In
| |
| | Keep your windscreen clean and free from
|
| particular, if you do need to wear
| |
| | scratches, and your lights adjusted to
|
| corrective lenses to meet the driving
| |
| | provide good illumination without causing
|
| visual standard, it is vital you wear
| |
| | glare. Protect your eyes from the glare
|
| them at all times. It is a good idea to
| |
| | of other vehicles by looking slightly to
|
| keep a spare pair of glasses in the auto
| |
| | the left of oncoming traffic at night.
|
| so that you are never tempted to drive
| |
| | Temporary blindness caused by glare can
|
| illegally without them.
| |
| | be particularly dangerous.
|
| Let's now look more closely at drivers'
| |
| | Safe driving means showing continuing
|
| eyewaer as this aspect of vision care
| |
| | responsibility. As we have seen,
|
| contributes significantly to safe
| |
| | restrictions can apply to drivers where
|
| driving. Here are some important
| |
| | vision is impaired from cataracts,
|
| guidelines:
| |
| | glaucoma, diabetes or any other relevant
|
| * The current fashion is for narrower,
| |
| | medical conditions which constitute a
|
| thin-rimmed or rimless glasses. These
| |
| | notifiable disability.
|
| are ideal for driving as they allow
| |
| | There are two key points to note here.
|
| maximum peripheral vision (They are not
| |
| | First, if you are involved in an accident
|
| so good, however, for cutting out the
| |
| | and are subsequently found to have an
|
| glare of reflected ultraviolet rays from
| |
| | undeclared visual impairment, your
|
| snow and sand).
| |
| | insurance cover could be at risk.
|
| * At a reasonable cost, anti-reflective
| |
| | Secondly, and more reassuringly, having a
|
| coatings can be applied to any lenses
| |
| | notifiable visual impairment does not
|
| helping to reduce glare and enhance
| |
| | automatically preclude your being allowed
|
| nighttime vision.
| |
| | to drive. Limited-period licenses,
|
| * Glasses with plastic lenses are safer
| |
| | issued to keep a regular check on your
|
| and lighter. A plastic bridge helps
| |
| | condition, and licenses restricting
|
| cushion the nose if wearing metal frames.
| |
| | driving to daytime only, should be viewed
|
| * Keep a lens cloth in your auto along
| |
| | as the ultimate safeguard of both vision
|
| with your spare pair of glasses. Glasses
| |
| | care and safe driving.
|
