“When we get behind the wheel, we have a duty of care”

Optometrist and past AOP chairman, Professor Julie-Anne Little, has outlined how optometrists can help to keep UK roads safe by discussing the visual standards for driving with patients.

Little shared with OT that most of the time, it is a patient’s decision whether they wear vision correction or not.

“Whether we decide to wear spectacles or have a bit of blur is our own business in many ways, but as soon as we get behind the wheel of a car, we have a duty of care to our fellow citizens,” she emphasised.

She observed that optometrists have an increasing range of tools at their disposal to understand and support the vision of older drivers.

“We have a really important role to play in helping older adults manage their vision and optimise their vision so that they can drive safely for as long as they can,” Little said.

The Ulster University academic shared that speaking about a patient’s driving can feel intrusive because an optometrist may feel they are over-reaching into a patient’s daily life.

However, she emphasised the importance of addressing this topic in order to protect both patient and public safety.

“We have a role to emphasise to them that these standards are in place for a reason,” she said.

Little encouraged optometrists to ask follow-up questions when asking patients about their driving.

For example, a patient may say that their driving is ‘fine’ but on further questioning, reveal that they are not confident driving long distances or at night.

“Nobody tells you that their driving is ever a problem,” she highlighted.

She emphasised that there is still the potential for accidents to happen, even if drivers are restricting themselves to familiar roads.

“We still need to have good vision, even though we might be feeling quite confident in the places we drive,” Little said.