Professor Julie-Anne Little, past chairman of the AOP and research optometrist, said motorists ignoring the rules risked “serious collisions”.
She explained: “Sight changes are gradual which means that many drivers are unaware that their vision has deteriorated over time.
“But having poor eyesight has been shown to slow reaction times and the ability to drive safely – and it doesn’t take much for one mistake to result in a serious collision with catastrophic consequences.
“As an optometrist, I’ve sometimes had to sit down with a patient to explain that their vision is simply no longer good enough to drive. It is a difficult conversation, but one that is absolutely necessary – preventing them from putting themselves and others at risk.”
GOV.UK states that motorists must get in touch with the DVLA if they notice any issues with their eyesight.
However, Britons are not required to undergo any formal testing to check their vision apart from during their driving test.
However, vision usually slowly fades with age, meaning individuals risk being under the legal threshold without even knowing it.
Adam Sampson, Chief Executive of the Association of Optometrists, has now called on the Department for Transport to update the law to ensure vision checks are required to stay on the roads.
He commented: “In the UK, the number plate test is not an adequate test of vision.
“It is carried out only once with a driving instructor, not a trained eye health professional. A driver’s vision can then remain unchecked for the rest of their life.
“This approach is flawed and is out of step with many other countries who use a full sight test as the means to accurately ensure motorists have satisfactory vision to drive safely.”
