DVLA/sight test

[Smileyface]

Hello. My partner has recently had a load off laser treatment on both eyes last year. Last week he had a check up as he had fluid in his eye.
He was told to have his eye test at an opticians which is now booked and another one for his DVLA test a week or so later.

He is getting very anxious and nervous (naturally) as has driven all his life and also drives an emergency service vehicle. He is anxious that if DVLA takes his license away he won't be able to drive at all ever. He says he can read a number plate to the requires distance plus a little more and says his peripheral vision (both together) seem to be ok.

My question is does anyone now the score total of how many points in a field test you have to get to pass (I know that they test each eye separately by covering them with a patch).

He is also concerned as I am unable to drive due to having a medical condition and that we are trying hard to save for a property together that all this will prevent us from doing our normal duties.
The second question is, that if he is unable to drive due to vision problems will he be entitled to any benefits of any kind and also a bus pass?

Any information would be greatly received as I want to find out as much information as possible to help him.

Many thanks

 

[Lucyr]

The second question is, that if he is unable to drive due to vision problems will he be entitled to any benefits of any kind and also a bus pass?

He’d be entitled to a bus pass usually if he loses his driving licence due to his vision problems. It does vary by local council.

If he is saying his sight is fine and not causing him problems then I doubt he’d get benefits like PIP as they are all based on how it affects your daily life eg are you unable to prepare a simple meal because of the impact of your sight loss.

Sounds like you’re both jumping to conclusions though, wait and see what they say first.

 

[Flower]

Hi @Smileyface

Dealing with potential loss of a driving licence is so worrying. It is a really stressful situation to be in even more so with work depending on a licence. Should his licence be revoked he can appeal the decision if he feels he can provide medical evidence that he does meet the requirements.

The minimum requirement for a licence is reading a licence plate at 20m and a field of vision of at least 120 degrees. I don't know how many points that would equate to. The requirements for vehicles carrying the public are different.

Loss of peripheral vision is quite difficult to notice at first but as my laser sessions progressed I started to notice loss of areas of peripheral vision and loss of dark/low light vision. I had already been told by my eye surgeon that I wouldn't be able to drive again but still went through the process of trying to get my licence back. I didn't succeed but wasn't surprised.

Should he have his licence revoked there are things to help getting around. This is the link to apply for a bus pass

Apply for a disabled person's bus pass

Contact your local council to find out who issues disabled bus passes in your area as part of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme

www.gov.uk

There is also a disabled persons rail card but I think this is reliant on having an award of a qualifying benefit such as PIP

PIP may be able to be claimed depending on the circumstances and impact on his mobility.

I hope things go well and he keeps his licence.

 

[Smileyface]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I have said to him to wait an not to dwell on it too much (not to worry about the things that might never happen). He is just so anxious and although I am a little more positive than him, but don't want to come over as over optimistic!

Your help has been valued and appreciated.
Helen

Hi. Welcome to Gboard clipboard, any text you copy will be saved here.Touch and hold a clip to pin it. Unpinned clips will be deleted after 1 hour.

He’d be entitled to a bus pass usually if he loses his driving licence due to his vision problems. It does vary by local council.

If he is saying his sight is fine and not causing him problems then I doubt he’d get benefits like PIP as they are all based on how it affects your daily life eg are you unable to prepare a simple meal because of the impact of your sight loss.

Sounds like you’re both jumping to conclusions though, wait and see what they say first.

Hello lucyr.

Thank you for your reply. I totally understand his worried about loosing his license after during a car and emergency vehicle for some 30 odd years. I am trying to keep him from not stressing as this will not help his blood pressure and at the end of the day, you can't help what might happen
. He blames himself for not caring about his diabetes and also being in denial to some extent. He has lost so much weight due to a new diet and also his blood sugars are now between 5-14, which is fantastic.

Your help has been so appreciated and we will work through this whatever happens!

Many thanks once again. Helen

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I have said to him to wait an not to dwell on it too much (not to worry about the things that might never happen). He is just so anxious and although I am a little more positive than him, but don't want to come over as over optimistic!

Your help has been valued and appreciated.
Helen



Hello lucyr.

Thank you for your reply. I totally understand his worried about loosing his license after during a car and emergency vehicle for some 30 odd years. I am trying to keep him from not stressing as this will not help his blood pressure and at the end of the day, you can't help what might happen
. He blames himself for not caring about his diabetes and also being in denial to some extent. He has lost so much weight due to a new diet and also his blood sugars are now between 5-14, which is fantastic.

Your help has been so appreciated and we will work through this whatever happens!

Many thanks once again. Helen

Well done to him and likely you as well for his weight loss, but a bit more to do on blood glucose level as being as high as 14mmol/l is not so good and still need to be coming down a bit more. What is his new diet and is he taking any medication as people may be able to suggest a few changes to help.

 

[Smileyface]

Well done to him and likely you as well for his weight loss, but a bit more to do on blood glucose level as being as high as 14mmol/l is not so good and still need to be coming down a bit more. What is his new diet and is he taking any medication as people may be able to suggest a few changes to help.

Hi
He is on a keto style diet. Bit with a treat at weekends (homemade baked cake with almond flour and sweetener).

He has come down from 14 stone down to 11stone. We have worked hard at it.

He has long COVID which doesn't help when trying to exercise. Before long COVID we used to go coastal walking along the southwest coastal path. He can only manage around 70% of what we used to do. We are looking into swimming alone with walking!

I am so proud of him

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi
He is on a keto style diet. Bit with a treat at weekends (homemade baked cake with almond flour and sweetener).

He has come down from 14 stone down to 11stone. We have worked hard at it.

He has long COVID which doesn't help when trying to exercise. Before long COVID we used to go coastal walking along the southwest coastal path. He can only manage around 70% of what we used to do. We are looking into swimming alone with walking!

I am so proud of him

If he is doing Keto diet and still getting blood glucose as high as 14 that sounds a bit unusual, when is he testing to get 14.
You don't mention any medication so I assume not.
How many grams per day carbs are you considering to be keto.

 

[Smileyface]

He is testing when he gets up before leaving for work which is anywhere from 5am to 11 am as he does very weird shifts as is an emergency service worker. He is unable to test every several hours during work as he is driving all through the day. His lunch break isn't at a set time as sometime it's on the fourth hour or sixth hour as does 8 to twelve hours shifts.

He is on metformin, dapagliflozin and gliclazide.

 

[Leadinglights]

He is testing when he gets up before leaving for work which is anywhere from 5am to 11 am as he does very weird shifts as is an emergency service worker. He is unable to test every several hours during work as he is driving all through the day. His lunch break isn't at a set time as sometime it's on the fourth hour or sixth hour as does 8 to twelve hours shifts.

He is on metformin, dapagliflozin and gliclazide.

That is a bit concerning as with 2 of those medications, dapagliflozin and gliclazide Keto which is less than 40-50g per day carbs is not recommended because of the risk of hypos (low blood glucose) and DKA. There are also rules about testing and driving when on gliclazide.
In the light of those meds he should perhaps review the wisdom of Keto and take care re hypos being an emergency service vehicle driver, he doesn't was to be 'The Emergency'.
Maybe a chat with his diabetic nurse or GP would be wise.

 

[Smileyface]

That is a bit concerning as with 2 of those medications, dapagliflozin and gliclazide Keto which is less than 40-50g per day carbs is not recommended because of the risk of hypos (low blood glucose) and DKA. There are also rules about testing and driving when on gliclazide.
In the light of those meds he should perhaps review the wisdom of Keto and take care re hypos being an emergency service vehicle driver, he doesn't was to be 'The Emergency'.
Maybe a chat with his diabetic nurse or GP would be wise.

Thank you for your help. It's very informative!
We will certainly re-avulate this.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Fingers crossed the results of his eye test meet the DVLA requirements, and his perfectly natural worries about the risk of losing his license come to nothing.

Well done on his weight loss and getting to grips with his diabetes 🙂