The right glasses could save your life

POOR vision and driver fatigue are among the causes of accidents on South African roads.

However, appropriate eyewear can improve vision, which can in turn promote better driving and road safety.

This is according to Ruahan Naude, chief executive at Dynamic Vision, who advises people to wear prescription glasses for driving if they have them.

“If you don’t but you are experiencing symptoms such as headaches, blurred vision, eye fatigue, inability to focus and sore, burning or red eyes, it is a good idea to have an eye test. Your optometrist will be able to give qualified advice on the best lenses and sunglasses for driving. This is especially important if you are going to be driving long distances.”

Naude said single-focus long-distance lenses could be prescribed for those with good distance vision but poor dashboard vision. For people in their 40s, conventional bifocal lenses might be suitable for dashboard distance, but from 50 onwards, these might be focused too closely to get sharp enough dashboard detail.

“If necessary, eyewear specifically for driving can be customised to suit the driver’s requirements; however, these might not be suitable for other activities.”

According to Naude, there are many multifocal lens options available, including mutifocals that have been specifically designed for driving. These multifocals have a wider intermediate area, which helps to provide improved clear visibility of the dashboard, instruments, satnav, and rear and side mirrors.

He said sunglasses with polarised lenses are a musthave for every driver – even those with 20/20 vision.

Night-time and beforedawn driving also present vision challenges. Aside from the darkness, which hinders visibility of objects, the improved visibility of modern xenon and LED headlights comes with an increased light density and luminance. To a lot of people these headlights therefore feel brighter and more blinding.

Naude said the ideal prescription lens for driving at night was a clear lens with an anti-reflective coating to reduce irritating glare and reflections from oncoming traffic, wet surfaces and other sources. Fixed tint glasses would have to be swopped for another set for night driving.