A series of terrifying images have revealed the blurry and distorted views seen by drivers with eye conditions including short sightedness, cataracts and glaucoma.
The College of Optometrists released the mock-ups after research found that a quarter of British drivers have unwisely driven without their prescribed glasses.
They also stated that half of UK drivers are not aware it is illegal. This can lead to penalties such as a suspension or a penalty, including fines and time in jail.
Atomik Research was the market research agency that conducted the study. It involved an online survey of 2,003 UK drivers.
A collection of frightening images has revealed how drivers suffering from eye conditions like shortsightedness (pictured), cataracts (pictured), and glaucoma see blurred and distorted views.
‘We want to strongly urge drivers to wear their spectacles or contact lenses if they have been prescribed for driving,’ said clinical advisor Paramdeep Bilkhu of The College of Optometrists.
Without them, driving can be dangerous for yourself or others.
‘Optometrists will never prescribe glasses or contact lenses if you don’t need them, so refusing to wear them when recommended really is putting other road users at risk.’
Common eye conditions, such as those shown in the photos below, can create dangerous situations for both pedestrians and drivers if they are not addressed.
Despite this, 36 per cent of drivers said that they have never had their eyesight tested specifically for driving, while more than one in ten (12 per cent) reported that they have never even visited an optometrist.
It is common for drivers to have problems due to poor vision. 18% of those surveyed admitted that they missed at least one turn because they couldn’t see the signpost.
Researchers also discovered that 25% of passengers felt nervous because of the driver’s vision. One-in-five people had to remind someone to wear their glasses while driving.
Half of the respondents felt confident enough to have a conversation with a friend, family member or relative about their vision problems, and tell them to make an appointment for an eye exam.
‘I would encourage anyone who’s felt unsafe due to someone’s eyesight to have an honest conversation and prompt them to see an optometrist,’ added Dr Bilkhu.
“We strongly recommend all people have regular sight tests. Your optometrist should tell you how frequently.
There are many health conditions that increase with age.
Regular eye exams are a good way to detect conditions early and prevent them from becoming worse. You may experience some eye conditions that are more obvious as you age.
‘The law states you must be able to read a number plate from 20 meters — a condition like myopia that impacts your distance vision may make this impossible, but having the correct prescription will make it clearly visible.’
GLAUCOMA
Glaucoma can be described as a group eye disease that damages the optical nerve. The vision loss causes vision problems, which start in the peripheral and then affect the central vision. Blindness is possible if it’s not treated.
The most common cause of this condition is a buildup of fluid within the eye. This increases the pressure. The condition can usually be treated early with medications, surgery and laser-based treatments.
Glaucoma risk increases with increasing age, increased pressure in the eyes, use of steroids medications, and family history.
It is estimated that some 70 million people globally have glaucoma.
Glaucoma can be described as a group eye disease. The buildup of fluid or pressure in the eyes can lead to damage and loss of vision. The normal view of a driver (left) and the glaucoma view (right).
CATARACTS
Cataracts, which are common conditions in which the corneas of the eyes become increasingly opaque, can lead to blurred vision.
These cataracts usually develop with age, but they may also appear in infants and children. Excessive alcohol intake, excessive smoking, radiation exposure and trauma can all lead to cataracts.
Sometimes they can cause blindness, making driving quite difficult.
Around 2.5 million elderly people in England or Wales are affected by some form of cataract-related visual impairment.
A surgical procedure can treat cataracts. In this case, the original lens of the patient is taken out and replaced by an artificial.
Cataracts can cause blurred vision due to the lens of the eyes becoming increasingly opaque. These conditions are common as we age and may be caused by alcohol abuse, excessive smoking, radiation exposure and trauma. Image: A driver’s view normal (left), compared with a person who has cataracts (right).
AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGERATION (AMD).
Macular degeneration, a condition that occurs as we age, is characterized by blurred vision or loss of central vision.
The cause is damage to the macular-shaped, centrally located pigmented area called the macular “lutea”.
Smoking and other genetic factors can accelerate the onset macular degeneration.
It can be avoided by exercising, eating right, and quitting smoking. However, vision loss is permanent.
Macular Degeneration refers to an age-related condition where one’s vision becomes blurred or worsens in the middle of the visual field. This is due to damage to macular-lutea (an oval-shaped and pigmented spot near the central of the eye’s retina). The normal view of a driver (left) and the macular degeneration experience (right).
MYOPIA – SHORT-SIGHTEDNESS
Myopia, an eye disorder where light is focused slightly behind, instead of onto the retina, causes distant objects to look blurry, even though they continue to appear normal.
The combination of environmental and genetic factors is what is thought to cause the condition. It’s more prevalent in people with a history of the disease, as well as those who are often indoors and do close-up work.
These conditions can develop by the eyeball becoming too large or, more rarely, too strong.
Shortsightedness that is not treated can result in headaches, eye strain, and even blindness.
Myopia is an eye disorder in which light is focussed slightly in front of, rather than onto, the retina — causing distant objects to appear blurry even while close ones continue to appear normally. A driver’s view normal (left), and one with myopia (right).
PRESBYOPIA – AGE-RELATED LONG – SIGHTEDNESS
Presbyopia is also called age-related long-sightedness. It’s a condition that makes it harder for people to see close objects clearly.
This condition usually manifests around the age 40 and may be accompanied by other symptoms such as headaches and eye strain.
The condition’s root cause lies in changes in the lenses of the eyes, which are more stiffened and less flexible with age.
These together cause the eye’s focus to be on the retina rather than behind it.
The College of Optometrists has published the full results of this study.
Blue light from computers and phones can make it difficult to fall asleep.
Dhruvin Ptel, a leading optometrist is an expert in blue light and its effects on eyes. This is the light that comes from phones or computers.
Blue Light can affect the eyes and make it difficult for you to fall asleep.
Research suggests that blue light exposure could cause damage to the eyesight, making it more difficult to fall asleep.
Patel gave his top tips on how to minimize the effects of blue light when working at home or with screens.
1. Keep your arms at arm’s reach from the screen
Reach out your hand and extend your arm.
This is a minimal distance that you can use to decrease eye strain.
2. 20/20/20
Simply stated, you should look at the screen every 20 minutes for at least 20 seconds, and not more than 20 feet.
This will allow you to reset your eyes and vision after spending long periods on the screen.
3. Screen height
Eye strain can be affected by the height and position of your screen.
According to research, it’s better to have the screen located at a higher level than users are able to see. The middle point of the screen should not be less than 5-6 inches from the user’s vision.
It opens up the area between the lower and upper eyelids, which can cause dryness.
4. Lighting
To avoid the glare from overhead lights or windows, position your computer screen.
Put blinds or curtains on your windows. Replace the desk lamp light bulbs with low-wattage bulbs.
An anti-glare filter is a way to reduce glare caused by light sources.
5. You can place a post-it note on the screen with the title “BLINK.”
We blink 20 times per minute on average. The blinking is automatically controlled by the central nervous system, so it’s not something we are conscious of.
This is actually reduced to about 3-5 times per minute while on screens. It means that our tear film cannot be maintained and the eyes do not stay lubricated.
You can use a post-it note on your screen that says “Blink” to help you make conscious efforts to blink. This is a simple, but effective method.
6) Consider your device
In general, the newest and most expensive phone will be best. However, this isn’t always true for your eyes. The iPhone X has a 20% brighter display than the iPhone 6 and emits more blue light.
It is the equivalent of an increase of 100 percent in blue light exposure.
7. Always remember to turn off
No artificial lighting or digital devices after sunset. You’re likely to be sending last-minute emails or watching your favorite Netflix show before you go to bed if you are like many people.
You can read a book, or even start meditating that you have promised to yourself in the New Year.
Dhruvin Ptel warns that you should not assume that the ‘night mode” or ‘blue shading’ of your devices can counter blue light’s effects.
According to him, this has been demonstrated to be not helpful in sleeping compared to the normal output of a monitor. Therefore, you should try to avoid looking at the screen after sunset.
Patel created Ocushield, a screen protector company that filters out blue light. It was a result of his research on the effect of different light sources.
Source: Dhruvin Patel (Ocushield)