Kiwis Not Seeing The Signs

Optometrists and road safety advocates around the country are urging Kiwis to stay sharp on the roads this winter by getting their eyes checked.

This comes after new research1 has revealed that Kiwis aren’t taking the necessary steps to keep themselves and others safe on the road, dismissing the tell-tale signs that they might have problems with their eyesight.

According to the new research, 71% of Kiwis have had issues seeing road signs while driving. A further 20% admit to having had issues seeing traffic lights while 16% said they’ve missed zebra crossings.

Poor winter weather, including heavy rain, sunstrike and snow-blindness can make for even more challenging conditions for those with impaired vision.

Auckland optometrist, David Aldridge, is urging Kiwis to rule out poor eyesight as a contributor to road accidents ahead of these challenging winter driving conditions.

“There is obviously a lot to consider when driving safely, but eyesight needs to be one of them. Waiting until it is too late can be costly in more ways than one,” says Aldridge.

“Even seemingly minor eye health problems can compromise vision leaving people unable to safely identify road signs, markings, and even see their own dashboard speedometer.”

According to the research, almost 50% of people between the ages for 35 – 64 have not had an eye test in the past five years, which Aldridge says is a concern.

“Eye checks done when a license is issued are only screening tests for visual awareness and visual fields, so it’s important to also see a trained optometrist for a complete, comprehensive eye test. We encourage everyone to get an eye test every two years, or sooner if you notice an issue or change to vision. Not all eye conditions present with obvious symptoms, so skipping a routine check-up can mean you lose valuable treatment and prevention time.

“Common conditions like glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration can cause permanent vision loss without noticeable symptoms in their early stages, but if an eye disease is diagnosed and managed before it shows symptoms, there is an opportunity to preserve vision,” says Aldridge.

Greig Leighton, Chief Partnerships Officer of AA New Zealand commented, “Safe driving is of the utmost importance to us, which is why we have teamed up with Specsavers to offer all our Members a free eye test every two years so it’s easy to keep on top of your eye health.”

Specsavers offer free eye check-ups to New Zealanders under the age of 16 every two years. Those on a lower-income and with government issued Community Services Cards can also access a range of subsidised services and products through Specsavers. Those signed up with Southern Cross Health insurance are eligible for half price eye-tests, and AA Members can access eye-tests for free every two years.

1An online survey conducted between March 2023 and April 2023. Commissioned by Specsavers New Zealand and undertaken by 3Gem. The sample comprised of a nationally representative sample of ~1000 people with a driving license.

2Child Myopia Working Group report (NZ)

3ACC statistics 2022

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