Why are the Association of Optometrists and the College of Optometrists supporting government proposals for mandatory eyesight tests for older drivers?

On the 7 January 2026 the Government published its highly anticipated Road safety strategy.

Five consultations have been launched by the Government, including introducing mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers.

The strategy itself provides little detail on mandatory eyesight testing beyond the commitment to consult. The consultation, in contrast, provides a significant amount of additional detail about what is being considered. The consultation sets out an expected increase in the number of older drivers (those 70 or over) and a comparison of the process around licence renewal in other European countries.

Introducing a mandatory requirement for drivers to provide evidence of a valid sight test when drivers apply for a licence and at each licence renewal would be a practical way to improve both road safety and public eye health. By making a full sight test an essential part of licence renewal, optometrists and supported by the wider practice team of eye care professionals would ensure drivers meet the legal visual standard while also identifying individuals whose vision has deteriorated but who may not be currently attending routine eye examinations.

Unlike a simple vision screening, the full sight test would offer a clinical assessment that evaluates visual acuity, determine if corrective lenses are needed, and checks overall eye health. Even drivers who technically meet the legal minimum standard may have uncorrected or under-corrected vision, and appropriate correction can enhance contrast and clarity, reduce eye strain, and support quicker object recognition and reaction times.

A sight test will also enable binocular vision, depth perception, and ocular alignment to be assessed, and include examinations for early signs of eye disease such as glaucoma or macular conditions and identify the presence of notifiable eye conditions (either from history and/or ocular examination). Further, where clinically indicated, visual field tests may be conducted based on professional judgement. Optometrists are well placed to triage older drivers as part of a sight test and refer those who need functional testing with the Esterman binocular visual fields test, into the appropriate DVLA pathway.

We assert that conducting these tests through regulated optometrists and utilising the skills of dispensing opticians to ensure that the optical correction that is worn is fit for purpose in community practices will ensure consistent professional standards and public trust.

Overall, sight tests as a mandatory component of licence renewal would act as both a road-safety measure and a public health intervention, improving driver safety while enabling earlier detection and management of eye conditions.

We support mandatory sight tests for drivers aged over 70 as an important first step in road safety reform and reflects the greater likelihood of visual change later in life. However, sight deterioration can occur at any age, and many people do not notice early visual changes. For this reason, we believe formal evidence of a valid sight test should be required when applying for a driving licence and at every renewal thereafter – every 10 years for most drivers and every three years from age 70.

Regular sight tests are essential for detecting changes in vision and eye conditions that could impair safe driving, helping to reduce the risk of road accidents. Limiting mandatory sight tests to older drivers overlooks a key weakness in the current system: many working-age drivers may have undetected eye disease or uncorrected refractive error. This issue has been highlighted in numerous fatal collisions in which poor driver eyesight was a contributing factor, including that of Mary Cunningham and Grace Foulds, killed by a driver aged 67 at the time of the accident. The 2025 inquest and subsequent Prevention o Future Deaths report highlighted that the driver had suffered from bilateral keratoconus and had ignored medical advice, that his vision was too poor to drive, for over a decade. Dr James Adeley, the Coroner leading the inquest, concluded in the report that the UK’s driver licensing rules, which allow self-reporting, are “ineffective and unsafe”.

Requiring objective evidence from a regulated eye care professional throughout a driver’s lifetime would strengthen the current system, which relies heavily on self-declaration and a basic number plate test that does not adequately assess visual function or eye health. Such a policy would align the UK with practices in many European countries and also provide wider public health benefits through earlier detection and treatment of eye diseases such as glaucoma or macular conditions.

Adults should have their sight tested at least every two years, or more frequently if recommended by an optometrist, to ensure changes in vision or eye health are detected and treated early. Regular sight tests are particularly important for drivers, as clear vision is essential for safe driving.

These intervals are clinically appropriate and operationally effective. That is why we say at the point of licence renewal the person should be required to evidence a valid sight test. By doing so, those drivers who are more at risk of changes to vision or eye health will be seen more often by their optometrist and have shorter validity periods for their sight test.  However, they will still only be required to prove they have a valid sight test at licence renewal.

Requiring evidence of a valid sight test at the point of licence renewal would avoid the need for parallel systems or new administrative structures. This approach addresses the fundamental weakness of the current framework, which is its reliance on self-declaration and an inadequate number plate test, by introducing formal verification of vision, while keeping the frequency of sight testing proportionate and individualised.

A mandatory statutory sight test conducted by an optometrist would provide a thorough assessment of a driver’s vision and overall eye health. As registered healthcare professionals, optometrists are qualified to evaluate whether drivers meet the legal visual standards required for safe driving. Such tests include checks of visual acuity and, when clinically appropriate, visual field assessments. In addition to determining driving fitness, they also allow early detection of eye disease that could impair vision, including notifiable eye conditions, through ocular examination.

Current evidence does not support introducing new or additional testing requirements. The components of sight tests are already defined in law and should remain clinically led. Adding further elements would complicate implementation and may place unnecessary burdens on both patients and eye care professionals. Conversely, simplifying the test to only visual acuity and visual field checks alone could mislead drivers into believing they have received a full eye examination, potentially reducing attendance at regular comprehensive sight tests that include important eye health checks. This could increase the risk of undetected eye diseases affecting driving safety, including notifiable eye conditions.

Using the existing statutory sight test as an essential part of the licence renewal process is therefore the most practical and effective approach. It also offers a public health benefit by reaching individuals over 70 who may not regularly attend eye examinations. If concerns arise during testing, optometrists can refer drivers for a DVLA-commissioned binocular Esterman test.

Optometrists and those trained to provide a statutory sight test (OMPs/medical practitioners with appropriate scope of practice), are the only health professionals able to provide mandatory sight tests. As regulated professionals and eye health specialists trained to assess vision and eye health, optometrists are best placed and equipped to provide an objective assessment – able to perform a standardised measurement of visual acuity and examination of binocular vision and ocular alignment to determine safe and adequate levels for driving.

As part of a full clinical encounter, a dispensing optician should also play a key role by checking that a driver's spectacles or contact lenses are current, serviceable, and fit for purpose for driving. This would include confirming that the prescription in use is up to date, that the lenses are appropriate for the individual’s visual needs, and that the frames are well fitted, stable, and in good condition. They would also assess whether the spectacles provide adequate vision for driving tasks, such as distance clarity and field of view. This provides a proportionate, practical safeguard to ensure that any visual correction relied upon for driving is safe and effective in real-world use.

We have completed a sector engagement exercise with representatives from all four UK nations who confirmed there was sufficient workforce and capacity to support the introduction of mandatory tests by qualified healthcare professionals.

Under the current system, the driver assumes responsibility every time they get into their vehicle to assess if they are fit and safe to drive.

Following that principle, that responsibility should remain with the driver to formally submit the outcome of their mandatory sight test to the DVLA. This system should be viewed as a natural extension of any administrative tasks associated with driving such as MOT or insurance. In view of this, the form completion will be considered separate to the sight test, and completion should be appropriately remunerated and paid for by the driver.

The form in itself can act as the report to the DVLA where:

1. They fail the Snellen standard (even with vision correction)
2. Have a medical/eye condition that may cause a binocular visual field defect
3. They have a notifiable eye condition.

In instances of a and b licence issue or renewal will be withheld until the driver is either proven to be fit to drive, via further testing, or licence removed in the interest of their own safety and the safety of other road user.