dvla regarding eye condition

laura678

hi


I just wondered if anybody could offer advice please. So I've had an ongoing eye condition for around 11 years since I was 29. I have visited lots of consultants and top eye hospital for it to be confirmed that I have AZOOR, this was confirmed a couple of years ago. Well recently I went to my opticians for my routine check up, and as well I thought I needed a slightly stronger prescription, but the optician said that I didn't need new glasses and felt that I should be referred to an eye specialist. At this point in Feb 2015 I had a visual field check and I was still okay to drive. I saw the consultant in July (2015)and had another visual field check and I was still okay to drive. I was then referred to a professor who specialises in rare retinal diseases I saw him yesterday, I had yet another visual field check and suddenly since July my visual fields have apparently dropped massively. I am confused because my visual fields do not seem any different at all. He has also confirmed that I do not have Azoor and cannot find a problem at all with my eyes. He think it's a neurological condition. He has stated that I am no longer legal to drive and I have to surrender my license. My question is the visual field check I had done at the hospital is different than the one they use for driving, which I Know to be the esterman field check, as I had one done a couple of years ago and was fine. The difference is that with the esterman you are allowed to use your glasses and both eyes together, but the hospital one is eyes separately and no glasses. Surely before I surrender my license I could try the esterman field check, it doesn't seem logical that he can say that when the DVLA use a different test ?

Quentin

Now your doctor has told you to stop driving you need to inform your insurer too as well as surrender your licence.

laura678

Quentin wrote: »

Now your doctor has told you to stop driving you need to inform your insurer too.

yes I understand that and I wasn't suggesting I should drive if I am not fit to do so, I was just asking as he used a different test and the DVLA use the Esterman testing which is actually completely different that I could maybe be retested with the driving visual fields test. It is quite hard to accept that my vision has changed rapidly since July yet I actually haven't noticed.

patman99

You could speak to your regular optician about having a visual field test done just to make sure that the specialist has got it correct.

Every year I have my eye test done and each time I am given a a test to determine my visual range.
I am pretty sure that the test your optician carries-out must meet with DVLA requirements, or they would have to tell you.

NotBothered

I was told that I had to inform DVLA of my medical condition. I literally just gave them a call and they send me out some forms to fill in. I sent them back and they came back to me with instructions to arrange an appointment with an optician of their choosing.

I did this and then waited. About 2 weeks after I got their decision - I was permitted to drive on a short period license (3 years) but had my GrandFather Rights removed (C1 & D1) I was quite cross about this - not sure why never driven a minibus or trailer in my life LOL! Just inform DVLA and let THEM decide.

Nilrem

As has been said, you have to inform DVLA who will then decide.

My father was on short licences for most of the last 15-20 years of his driving due to eye issues (he finally made the decision to drive because he realised whilst his sight was legal for driving, it wasn't enough to be comfortable for him).
As has been said the DVLA will instruct you to go to a specific optician they know in your area who will do the exact tests the DVLA are after.

It could be if the Hospital specialist thinks your sight has changed a lot in a short time that the DVLA may want regular testing (yearly rather than 3 yearly).