VIEWPOINT - Age & Eyesight

Today's Vancouver Sun newspaper excitedly proclaimed on the front page that 'Failing eyesight (is) a driving issue for aging motorists', citing information from the CAA's website.

Some random thoughts occurred to me after reading this.  The first was that in fact, many seniors 'self-regulate' by avoiding driving at night; so all those ready to leap up and demand regulatory action might do better to worry about other issues.

The other was to question whether any drivers are adequately tested for their visual acuity at night?  Certainly, the local ICBC Driver's Services Centre will conduct rudimentary eyesight checks on new applicants as well as seniors; but their equipment is decades old, and to the best of my knowledge has no way of measuring this.  So I got to wondering just what testing is actually conducted on older drivers' night-time vision?

As a professional driver who also holds an Instructor license, I'm accustomed to bi-annual medical examinations that include a basic eyesight check by my physician.  Also, as a person with a family history of glaucoma, I'm accustomed to much more thorough annual eye examinations and visual testing by my opthalmologist.

But so far in my life, I don't ever recall having my night-time vision tested; and this makes me wonder who does get adequately tested, and what actually triggers this type of examination?