Certain medical conditions can make it risky for you to operate a motor vehicle safely. Dementia and epilepsy can imperil you, your passengers, other motorists and their passengers, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
Various eye ailments and diseases can also threaten your ability to drive safely. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, “Awareness of common vision-related changes and problems can help you and your loved ones stay safe while driving.”
When you drive, you need to be able to see the road clearly directly in front of you and at a distance, have good peripheral vision to know what is happening on both sides of your vehicle, be able to read road signs, your dashboard and street markings easily and see well at night.
A host of eye conditions can impact your driving. These include but are not limited to cataracts, dry eye, macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.
Tips for driving safely at night
If you have a vision problem, night driving can seem particularly tough. The American Academy of Ophthalmology offers these suggestions that are valid for people with excellent vision as well as those with eye conditions:
- Don’t rely on gadgets or glasses whose manufacturers make assertions about improving night vision.
- Keep your windshield, headlights, windows and taillights clean.
- Your glasses and contact lenses should always be clean and have current prescriptions for maximum vision improvement.
- Your mirrors should be correctly adjusted.
- Keep your headlights in excellent working order.
Is your vision good enough for you to drive safely?
No one wants to stop driving for any reason. If you wonder about your fitness to drive due to eye issues, think about these questions:
- Do I have trouble driving at night?
- Is it hard for me to read signs and see traffic lights?
- Is glare a problem for me?
- Am I usually driving over or below the speed of traffic?
Always do what you can to stay safe on the road. Get eye examinations, keep your vehicle well-maintained and learn about your legal options in Mississippi if you are injured in a collision.
