Experts have warned that poor eyesight for drivers are escalating the problem of accidents on Ugandan roads, urging that unless this is corrected, the country will continue experiencing crashes.
The annual police crime and traffic report indicated that in 2021 alone, 17443 road accidents were reported , an increase of 42% from the 12249 reported the previous year and these saw 4159 people die in these accidents.
However, according to Oliver Mwanko Wambile, the public relations and communications officer for Lapaire East Africa, 23% of drivers, or almost one-quarter, have trouble seeing effectively owing to eyesight issues while on the road.
Lapaire are specialists in eye defects and offer eyeglasses.
According to Wambile, whereas there is a phrase, "keep your eyes on the road", many drivers take its significance for granted.
"Did you know that our eyes provide 90% of the information we need in order to drive safely? Strong eyesight keeps you, your passengers, and other users of the road safe. Taking your eyes off the road even briefly, such as texting while driving, changing the radio station, turning your head to talk to a passenger are dangerous enough,"Wambile explains.
Poor eyesight for drivers causes accidents.
"The statistic of 23% of drivers having trouble seeing effectively is even more startling when you consider that 80% of these visual problems are either preventable or treatable with simple corrective glasses or contact lenses."
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He explains that three of the most frequent vision problems for drivers include nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) and cataracts.
Making a case for poor eyesight, he says that difficulties in seeing things in the distance might cause delays in reading traffic signs or highway exits leading to accidents.
"Vision problems with adjacent objects might make reading your dashboard and understanding how quickly you're driving and how much petrol you have difficult. This may sound insignificant, but consider that driving at 30 mph with uncorrected vision can take an additional three seconds to notice and read traffic signs. That is enough time spent inattentive driving to miss approaching vehicles or a person crossing the street," the Lapaire spokesperson says.
Oliver Mwanko Wambile, the public relations and communications officer for Lapaire East Africa.
"In the case of cataracts, the sooner you address the issue and let others drive in the interim the better. Drivers with cataracts are 2.5 times more likely to get in an accident! Drivers' vision difficulties are a big concern. Regular annual eye exams with your eye doctor are the most important approach to ensure your eyes are safe for driving. In addition to monitoring for eye illness, your eye doctor can guarantee that your vision prescription is always up to date and delivers the clearest vision possible with frequent checkups."
Wambile however explains that Lapaire, members of the public can have access to a wonderful vision plan that allows them to see well and better without breaking the bank.
"Lapaire provides free vision examinations and low-cost spectacles to citizens in seven African countries, including Uganda, Kenya, the Ivory Coast, Togo, Mali, Benin, and Burkina Faso."
