HOW long would you wait to get your eyesight checked if you started to struggle to read licence plates or road signs when you're behind the wheel?

According to a recent survey drivers would wait four months on average to see an optometrist if they had eyesight issues and one fifth of people had no idea it was illegal to drive without prescription glasses.

The survey from Pure Optical also found 78 per cent would force their family members to have an eyesight test to ensure they were driving safely on the roads.

But what are the signs to look out for?

  • If you're squinting to read road signs or number plates that are 20 metres in the distance (the DVLA advises 5 car lengths or 8 parking bays can be an easy way to measure the distance.)
  • If you're seeing blurred or double images or haloes around headlights, streetlights and traffic lights
  • If you find it harder to see clearly at dusk or night time
  • If you regularly suffer from headaches
  • If your eyes are sore or tired by the end of the day
  • If you haven't had your eye sight checked in the past two years

Richard Hawkins, from Pure Optical, said: "Having your eyes tested regularly is of vital importance to your safety, as well as that of the people around you on the road.

"Make sure that if you pick up any signs of blurriness or double vision, you pay a visit to your optometrist as soon as you can.

"If you’re a forgetful person or just not a fan of old-fashioned spectacles, perhaps a pair of contact lenses would best suit your lifestyle."

When should I get my eyesight checked?

According to the NHS, almost all of us will need to wear glasses or contact lenses by the time we're 65 because our eyesight changes as we get older.

If you have regular eye tests, wear the right lenses and look after your eyes, there's a better chance your sight will remain clear.

If you're 60 or over, you can have a free NHS eyesight test as often as you need one.

This is normally every two years but may be more often in certain circumstances.

What does the DVLA say?

You must wear glasses or contact lenses every time you drive if you need them to meet the ‘standards of vision for driving’.

You must tell DVLA if you’ve got any problem with your eyesight that affects both of your eyes, or the remaining eye if you only have one eye.

This doesn’t include being short or long sighted or colour blind.

You also don’t need to say if you’ve had surgery to correct short sightedness and can meet the eyesight standards.

You can be fined up to £1,000 if you do not tell DVLA about a medical condition that affects your driving.

You may be prosecuted if you’re involved in an accident as a result.

Did you know?

To see well, your eyes need three times as much light when you're 60 as they did when you were 20.