An optometrist has highlighted a key October sign that could reveal a serious medical condition affecting driving fitness. As nights draw in earlier, drivers are more likely to notice symptoms of cataracts — a common condition in older adults where the eye's lens becomes cloudy over time.
On a driving test, people need to read a number plate from about 20 metres away. However, several visual conditions can develop gradually with age, often going unnoticed.
What to look out for
Optometrist Humaira Bham told BBC Morning Live viewers how to spot cataracts. She said: “It is very common in older adults. It’s where the lens in the eye which is transparent in youth gets cloudy as time goes on. So it’s actually driven by the changes within the proteins within the eye within the lens. So these proteins lose their transparency over time and become more opaque. So like the rest of the body the eye changes as well. So it can be like looking through a misty window. It can feel a little bit like your vision’s blurred.”
Blurred vision, caused by the cloudy lens, is the main sign to watch for. Drivers may also notice light and glare sensitivity, especially at night. Ms Bham said: “So you might be driving and you might realize or feel like the lights and the headlights are looking more splayed out than usual. So if you are struggling with night driving and you feel like that’s becoming more apparent, it’s worth getting checked out.”
Faded colours and frequent prescription changes
People might also notice colours look faded and the world less vivid. Ms Bham explained: “Blues and purples may look a little bit more gray. Whites may look a little bit more yellow. I had a lady who got her cataracts done and she realized that her entire wardrobe was actually neon because when she had cataracts, she was picking out faded colours.”
Another sign is needing to change glasses regularly. Not all cases require immediate surgery, but Ms Bham noted a high success rate: “Cataract surgery is one of those it’s the most common surgery done in the UK. You’re in there for about 20 to 25 minutes on average. And the recovery is so quick that you can go home the same day as surgery. So it is really it’s a really good surgery. Very high success rate as well just to just to reassure you. And you’ll be back to normal within no time. There’s so much post-operative care as well. And we have some of the best surgeons looking after you.”
Calls for compulsory eye tests
Drivers aged 70 and over in the UK still use a self-declaration system to renew their driving licences and are not yet legally required to submit an optician’s vision test, though recent government consultations have proposed changing this rule. The proposals are part of the Government’s new road safety strategy.
The Association of Optometrists (AOP) and the College of Optometrists have called for reform to UK driving law for years, demanding a mandatory requirement for all drivers to submit evidence of a recent eye test at initial licence application and at every renewal — every 10 years, then every three years from the age of 70. They have also highlighted a need for increased public awareness of regular eye tests between renewals.
Dr Peter Hampson, clinical and policy director at the AOP, said: “Introducing compulsory eye tests for the over 70s, every three years, is a vital step forward in modernising road safety, preventing avoidable vision-related tragedies.” He noted that gradual deterioration of sight can mean drivers may not realise their vision no longer meets legal standards. He added: “This simple change to the law would bring the UK into line with much of Europe and deliver a fair, consistent system where drivers’ eyesight is checked by qualified professionals.” Public support for reform is clear, he continued, calling it a “decisive move in making UK roads safer for everybody.”
