Overview
- A national survey of 2,000 adults found 71% want proof of a recent eye test at first licence application and 68% want it at each renewal.
- The College of Optometrists and the Association of Optometrists propose evidence of a recent test at application and every renewal, with renewals every 10 years then every three years from age 70.
- Support for requiring checks at each renewal rises with age, including 51% for drivers 40+, 59% for 50+, 70% for 60+ and 76% for 70+.
- The UK currently relies on a number‑plate reading check and driver self‑declaration to the DVLA, placing it among a small minority of European countries without formal eyesight testing.
- Lancashire Senior Coroner Dr James Adeley deemed current enforcement unsafe after deaths linked to poor vision and urged the Transport Secretary to act; optometry leaders say routine tests would catch problems earlier and help prevent collisions, with NHS‑funded exams available for over‑60s and for all in Scotland.