DVLA retinopathy

[Deleted member 13600]

1234

 

[HOBIE]

Welcome Ian. No need to ask what type of bike you have. 😎 I am BMW GS man myself but you cant beat the sounds of a Guzzi. Back to business & laser treatment. It does not matter what people might tell you but you still worry . What would you rather have sight or not ? The team should keep you right & with good luck should be good. I try my best to not get dehydrated. I will PM you &

 

[trophywench]

LOL - my cousin loves his Guzzi, he's just bought another restoration project.

The hospital team should surely be keeping you informed re driving? I mean if they haven't told you not to, I shouldn't think there would be a problem.

They do have separate forms for your optician/ophthalmologist to complete, same as they have separate doctors forms if they happen to pick on you for a spot check. One of the things they want on the opticians form is your visual acuity without your glasses if you wear them anyway, as I do.

Well - I could certainly see the edges of the chart! LOL But I had to enquire if he'd accidentally put the Sanskrit one up instead of the English one!

 

[trophywench]

Well of course the mere fact you are having laser won't necessarily actually affect your sight, will it? So I don't suppose (having considered it overnight LOL) they'll actually know till it's done! 😛

 

[Twitchy]

Hello,

I've had proliferative retinopathy off / on for nearly 8 years now, still driving despite a fair bit of laser & a vitrectomy op on one eye. From what I recall, you do need to inform the dvla, & will need to do a visual field test - they don't stop you driving in the meantime but the onus is on you to be sure it's not affected your vision too much (horribly grey advice I know! The analogy they used with me was that you use your judgement with over the counter meds, flu, fatigue etc & whether you are still fit to drive, same principle applies).

I still have a 3 yr licence & when it's up for renewal & I have to redo the visual field test - it's not too bad, you sit forward into a kind of booth & press a button when you see a dot - too many / few & you fail, I am sure there is a margin to allow for a less than 100% success rate though. If your lasering is towards the periphery of your eye, you should be fine. There's quite a bit of advice (if i recall rightly) on the dvla website. Not every optician can do the vf test as they have to be registered & have the right kit etc. I seem to remember the dvla send you a list of options in your local area.

Retinopathy sucks, & I know how terrifying the thought of losing independence is. My eyes were stable for a bit but the darned ret is back...but the bottom line is that ultimately I have no wish to hurt myself or anyone else through a driving accident, so I just have to take each day as it is & accept it if it does het to the stage where I shouldn't drive. My real nemesis when it comes to eye bleeds is spreadsheets, but that's a whole other saga!

Chin up, & remember the lasering should preserve ypur sight - without it, you 'will' go blind; with it, assuming they are able to nip the retinopathy in the bud, you should be able to enjoy many more years of happy (& safe) motoring.

Hope that helps!

Best wishes, Twitchy.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Try this link http://www.diabeticretinopathy.org.uk/index.html You do have to tell the DVLA if you have both eyes done as others have said this info is on DVLA site.
Also check with your team as to when you need to tell DVLA as would suspect eyes would need time to settle before taking field test.

 

[Tinawill]

Hello,

I've had proliferative retinopathy off / on for nearly 8 years now, still driving despite a fair bit of laser & a vitrectomy op on one eye. From what I recall, you do need to inform the dvla, & will need to do a visual field test - they don't stop you driving in the meantime but the onus is on you to be sure it's not affected your vision too much (horribly grey advice I know! The analogy they used with me was that you use your judgement with over the counter meds, flu, fatigue etc & whether you are still fit to drive, same principle applies).

I still have a 3 yr licence & when it's up for renewal & I have to redo the visual field test - it's not too bad, you sit forward into a kind of booth & press a button when you see a dot - too many / few & you fail, I am sure there is a margin to allow for a less than 100% success rate though. If your lasering is towards the periphery of your eye, you should be fine. There's quite a bit of advice (if i recall rightly) on the dvla website. Not every optician can do the vf test as they have to be registered & have the right kit etc. I seem to remember the dvla send you a list of options in your local area.

Retinopathy sucks, & I know how terrifying the thought of losing independence is. My eyes were stable for a bit but the darned ret is back...but the bottom line is that ultimately I have no wish to hurt myself or anyone else through a driving accident, so I just have to take each day as it is & accept it if it does het to the stage where I shouldn't drive. My real nemesis when it comes to eye bleeds is spreadsheets, but that's a whole other saga!

Chin up, & remember the lasering should preserve ypur sight - without it, you 'will' go blind; with it, assuming they are able to nip the retinopathy in the bud, you should be able to enjoy many more years of happy (& safe) motoring.

Hope that helps!

Best wishes, Twitchy.

Surely the only real self test for driving is reading a number plate at 60 feet? Also I have retinopathy and am being offered a vitrectomy, what was it like, was it a last resort or just a better option to lasering?

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Surely the only real self test for driving is reading a number plate at 60 feet? Also I have retinopathy and am being offered a vitrectomy, what was it like, was it a last resort or just a better option to lasering?

Er no if you have a faulty field of vision then you are a danger to the road. If you have had laser on both eyes then DVLA have to informed and you have to take their field vision test.
Would you consider it safe to drive with binocular vision? 😱

 

[neil2]

2 years ago I suffered from charcot foot I've just started to learn to walk again, but I have lost my peripheral vision my driving licence and my job I was a car mechanic and a MOT tester I was told the other day due that and I am 57 the only work that I will get is to volunteer work.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

2 years ago I suffered from charcot foot I've just started to learn to walk again, but I have lost my peripheral vision my driving licence and my job I was a car mechanic and a MOT tester I was told the other day due that and I am 57 the only work that I will get is to volunteer work.

I'm really sorry to hear about your health problems Neil.
Someone I know lost his driving licence due to drink driving (no sympathy) but he kept his job as an MOT tester, so am curious to know why you can not MOT cars?

Wishing you well.

 

[neil2]

Because your driving licence number is your MOT number and you must have licence for the category of vehicle you are testing, some permanent 4x4 can't use the brake tester. Garages can't get insurance if a customer was to be hit by some who did not have a licence to drive even if they were in the work shop.
I would like to know how he carried on MOT ing as all the MOTs would be nul and void all so the garage could be committing fraud.