According to survey, 78% of adults aged 55 have experienced vision loss but ignore the signs until the condition are serious. If you are 60 and older you should pay attention to different type of warning signs related to vision loss and it should never be ignored especially if you’re always driving.
There are common eye conditions that can affect seniors like cataracts, dry eyes, glaucoma, etc. We must take care of our eyes especially if we’re getting older. This can definitely affect our capability to read different road signs, driving at night as well as glare from the sun and oncoming headlights.
Great Tips on Driving Safely After 60
- Regular Eye Examination
As we age, regular eye check-up is very important to know if there’s a problem with our eyes and take measures to correct it as soon as possible. People over 60 must have an eye test at least once a year. This is one way on how to take care of your eyesight.
- Drive Slower
If there’s a problem with your vision it is much better to slow down and drive carefully. Always remember to drive at a speed you are comfortable with to make you’re driving easy and avoid unnecessary vehicular accidents.
- Be careful at Intersections
According to survey, older drivers get involved into accidents at intersections because of failure to yield. Remember, you have to look on both directions before moving into an intersection. Turn your head often to check if there are other vehicles passing by.
- Avoid Driving at Night
As we grow old, our pupils are getting smaller and don’t dilate as much to let light in and the cornea lens are becoming less clear. For people with an age of 60 and up it’s difficult to drive at night. If you are having a hard time driving in the dark it’s much better to avoid it.
- Take Medication into Consideration
Older people especially at the age of 60 and up are on medication and it can affect their driving skills. If you are into medication, make sure to ask your doctor if it’s safe to drive and what the side effects are. If the medicine makes you sleepy, experience headache or nausea it’s safer to let other people take the wheel.
- Enroll in a Senior Driving Course
Some older people are afraid of the day that they have to stop driving. To avoid that, you can enroll to a senior driving course. They will refresh your driving skills, teach defensive driving and also will talk about how aging affects your ability to drive.
