Opticians sets sights on DVLA testing

A Macclesfield opticians has invested over £15,000 upgrading its field of vision machines to meet DVLA screening standards and become the only DVLA testing provider in the town.

Specsavers in the Grosvenor Shopping Centre is working with the DVLA, to deliver drivers’ medical visual field and visual acuity testing for both ordinary drivers and vocational drivers licence holders, including large goods vehicles and passenger-carrying vehicles.

With more than 40.5 million vehicles on UK roads^[1], Specsavers Macclesfield is urging drivers to have an up-to-date eye test to ensure that they can see clearly on the roads, and for those who wear glasses, to check that their lenses are suitable for driving. 

Specsavers Macclesfield ophthalmic director, Daniel Williams says: ‘Having good eyesight is one of the most basic requirements of safe driving. It means drivers will be able to spot potential dangers, see pedestrians and other vehicles, read road signs and judge speed, distance and movement. Without this, there could be catastrophic consequences on the road.

Research shows that poor vision increases a driver’s risk of crashing as it limits their ability to recognise hazards and impacts on reaction time, and more than 90% of a driver’s decisions depend on having good vision^[2].   

Daniel Williams continues, ‘While an eye test plays a part in being granted your driver’s licence, in that you must be able to read a number plate from 20 meters away – eyesight can change over time, especially as we get older. This is why it is so important to have regular eye checks, not only to address any changes in short or long-sightedness but also because an optician can spot sight-threatening conditions that you may not be aware of, such as cataracts, macular degeneration or glaucoma.’

If you have been referred by the DVLA for a driver’s visual field and acuity test or wish to book a sight or hearing test, simply call Specsavers Macclesfield on 01625 501111 or go to www.specsavers.co.uk