Drivers urged to book eye tests as glaucoma and diabetic eye disease set to rise by 2030

Routine eye tests, recommended every two years or as advised by your optometrist, are vital to maintaining good eye health and helping to keep all road users safe. An eye test is not just about checking whether you need glasses; it is a comprehensive health check that can detect early signs of eye conditions long before symptoms appear.

Untreated or undiagnosed eye conditions can significantly affect sight. Problems with peripheral vision (your field of vision) or night vision (your ability to see in low light conditions) can make it harder to read road signs, judge distance, or detect hazards such as pedestrians and cyclists. Many common conditions, including glaucoma, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy, can progress silently in the early stages, meaning drivers may not realise their eyesight has deteriorated.

With an ageing population, the number of people living with common eye diseases that can impact drivers’ vision is set to increase over the coming decade.

• The number of people with glaucoma is forecast to increase by 10% over the next five years, with more than one million people in the UK expected to be living with the condition by 2030*.
• The number of people diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy is also projected to rise by more than 25,000 between 2025 and 2030 to over one million people – a 2.5% increase*.

*Data from the UK Eye Care Data Hub. This dashboard has been developed to estimate the current eye care workforce and eye disease prevalence or incidence, and to model future trends over time. Glaucoma data relates to primary open angle glaucoma.