Why 1 in 2 midlife Kiwis are struggling with driving at night.

Concern that a common but little-understood eye condition could be impacting safety on the roads when driving at night has been backed up by a senior New Zealand optometrist.

Ian Russell, optometry director at Specsavers in Wanganui, says the condition – known as presbyopia – typically affects people aged around 40 onward and makes it difficult to focus on near objects.

“Presbyopia affects everyone as they age, although not many people have heard about it despite it being so common,” he says. “It can make it hard to see things up close like a phone screen, laptop or book, meaning people have to hold them at arm’s length to see clearly.

The condition can also compromise more than reading comfort – it can directly affect safety on the road, especially at night.

“Trouble seeing the dashboard and difficulty switching focus from near to distant viewing are red flags people shouldn’t ignore,” Russell says. “It could make all the difference not just to your driving confidence, but to the safety of everyone on the road.”

Russell says a nationwide survey conducted in May by YouGov on behalf of Specsavers NZ highlighted the extent of the problem for motorists. It found that nearly half (47%) of mid-life New Zealanders aged 35 to 50 feel less confident driving at night than they did in their 20s and 30s because of vision issues.

“Alarmingly, more than a third – 38% – reported erratic driving behaviour during night-time trips, such as sudden braking, unsanctioned u-turns and confusing indicating. And 11% admitted to being involved in a car accident, while 14% had a near-miss, because of vision problems,” he says.

“Interestingly, the overwhelming majority of respondents, 85%, were unaware that presbyopia is a likely cause. Many people chalk up changes in their vision to simply getting older and they don’t realise the effect a condition like presbyopia can have.”

Almost half (47%) of those surveyed haven’t had an eye test in over three years – or ever – and Russell says it is critical for Kiwis to get their eyes checked, especially now that the darker winter months are here.

“Pretty much 100% of people will develop presbyopia as they age. It is a consequence of ageing and only gets worse the older people get,” Russell says.

As a result, he says optometrists recommend getting an eye test at least every two years from the age of 18 or sooner if any changes in vision are noticed.

“Vision changes around mid-life are common and an eye test is the easiest and most effective way to detect presbyopia – or other eye conditions – and get the right treatment with appropriate visual aids such as new glasses, bi-focals and contact lenses.”

He says too many people self-diagnose, go out and buy a cheap pair of reading glasses rather than book a professional test – a strategy he believes is fraught with risk.

Struggling to read menus, phone screens or books up close is among the first signs of presbyopia. Noticing this – or any deterioration in vision – is a sign to seek professional advice right away.

“At Specsavers we conduct OCT (optical coherent tomography) for all patients using hospital grade technology that allows us to detect eye conditions earlier. This involves a 3D scan of the back of the eye giving us a high level of detail about what is going on.

“An eye health check is more than a simple vision check to determine whether you may need glasses; it is an important health check that can identify underlying eye conditions or sometimes more general health conditions.”

Russell says the nationwide survey was conducted online for Specsavers New Zealand by international internet-based market research and data analytics firm YouGov between May 8-13. It comprised a nationally representative sample of over 500 New Zealanders aged 35 to 50.

Among other findings, the research showed that in response to vision challenges while driving at night, many drivers have developed unconscious habits such as leaning forward to “see better” (44%), squinting at street signs (32%) or slowing down to see them better (40%).

Other coping strategies revealed by the survey that Kiwis use to get by with declining close-up vision include resizing screen text (38%), using a phone torch to see more clearly (36%), holding reading material at arm’s length (34%), asking someone to read small print (24%) and borrowing someone else’s glasses to read or see better (13%).

Russell says these short-term workarounds and tactics serve only to mask the issue and while they might seem harmless, they delay proper diagnosis and treatment.

For more information or to book an eye test visit www.specsavers.co.nz/book/location to find your nearest Specsavers store.