News that all drivers – private and commercial – will have their eyesight tested at least once every 15 years has been welcomed.

The Federation of Manufacturing Opticians confirmed that the tighter legislation will be introduced to ensure that all motorists’ eyesight is adequate for driving.

Delegates at a recent seminar were told that legislation, passed in the EU Parliament in 2006, is set to be introduced in 2011.

The current proposal is that holders of commercial licences will have to have their eyes tested every five years, and holders of private licences every 10 to 15 years.

Each EU country has until 2013 to transpose the directive into national law.

Mark Raines, director of corporate and retail development for Specsavers said: “The only eyesight requirement of drivers at the moment is that they can clearly see a number plate at 20 meters in front of them, and this was passed in the 1930s.

“Driving today requires so much more, including good peripheral vision and the ability to refocus between different distances such as from driving instruments in the car to objects on the outside road.

"Any directives that ensure a driver’s eyesight is good enough for driving is excellent news.”