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Hi from a long term Type 1 and first problem :(

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
F

Faffer

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Just joined and as asked i have popped in to say hello 🙂 And ask for info if possible as nobody is helping with advice.

I have had Type 1 now for 27 years and all has been good. no problems until now. Well near 3 months ago i was out doing my usual days work as a driver when i suddenly starting loosing eye sight ( had an haemorrhage ) in one eye. In the space of maybe 15 mins my right eye went all blurry and then a little after i got floaters all over and wasnt able to see at all. Still the same now. I had laser done two weeks after and then 6 weeks after had a check/photos taken of the eye. thye then send me to the next hospital for more photos done of the eye/screening etc then to see if tbey send to the eye hospital for the next check up and to see if i need more laser.

I am not sure if this is the usual routine but what a drag it is and takes so long. And to get no info or help advice from anybody is annoying, thye just tell me the next appointment will help. Which they dont do.

I got fed up so last week i went ot the optician whish has been amazing help in getting me sorted out with fats track hospital appointments etc.

I have had to get new glasses now as i am struggling to see for work, not driving but stuck in the works doing what i can, which is good of them to let me.

Sorry about the waffling on. Any way my question

I am getting new glasses this week for reading and long sight pair aswell as shade as i have difficulty seeing on bright days and at night with car lights etc. So i hope to be driving again. My main concern now though is as i believe i need t tell the DVLA about the haemorrhage but am i legal to drive untill they send me for an eye test ?
 
I think there’s a form to fill in @Faffer - have you done that? It’s one specially for vision where you have to answer specific questions. Have you asked your optician/hospital if you fulfil the criteria to drive?
 
Inka said:
I think there’s a form to fill in @Faffer - have you done that? It’s one specially for vision where you have to answer specific questions. Have you asked your optician/hospital if you fulfil the criteria to drive?
Click to expand...
I have not filled in any form yet, just looking now for them, nobody has said anything to me, even when i asked they could not answer and said to ask the next person.
I am unsure if i should/need to tell the DVLA yet or wait untill i have been back to the eye hospital for more checks incase they need to do anyhting else.

thanks for the reply.
 
It’s the V1 form, I think. You should inform the DVLA as you can be fined if you don’t. Eye haemorrhage is one of the things it mentions.
 
Inka said:
It’s the V1 form, I think. You should inform the DVLA as you can be fined if you don’t. Eye haemorrhage is one of the things it mentions.
Click to expand...
Found that easy, thanks Now though can i drive though while waiting for them to send me for an eye test ?
 
Faffer said:
Found that easy, thanks Now though can i drive though while waiting for them to send me for an eye test ?
Click to expand...

No - you need to check with your optician. If they say you’re ok to drive, I believe you can while you’re waiting for the DVLA but I’m not sure about that. Ask your optician; then inform the DVLA about the haemorrhage and ask if you’re ok to drive while they’re sorting things.

I know of someone with a slightly different eye condition who could not drive until they’d had certain tests. I think you need to check both with your optician/eye doctor and with the DVLA.
 
Inka said:
Here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/v1-online-confidential-medical-information

There might be other things you need to do too, so definitely check or ask when you inform them. If in any doubt whatsoever, don’t drive. It’s not worth it.
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my god things are not easy to find on there.

found it though. thid says i can drive while waiting


I stopped driving straight away, then after a month or so i tried again but it wasnt good so i chose not to drive again. I am hoping that the new glasses help but if still feel unsafe i will stop again. Its the strain on my eyes as after a few hours driving my better eye goes blurry and struggle to see clear.

I will see what if at all what they say at the hospital in a months time when back again. I am so lucky my plac eof work understand and are helpfull wiht keeping me in work as no body is helpfull. very anoyying.
 
Inka said:
No - you need to check with your optician. If they say you’re ok to drive, I believe you can while you’re waiting for the DVLA but I’m not sure about that. Ask your optician; then inform the DVLA about the haemorrhage and ask if you’re ok to drive while they’re sorting things.

I know of someone with a slightly different eye condition who could not drive until they’d had certain tests. I think you need to check both with your optician/eye doctor and with the DVLA.
Click to expand...
i am getting my glasses this week so ill ask the optician.
 
In all the DVLA searching (you’re right - it is hard to find an answer) I forgot to say that I hope your vision is sorted soon, and I’m sorry you had a haemorrhage. It must have been scary.
 
Inka said:
In all the DVLA searching (you’re right - it is hard to find an answer) I forgot to say that I hope your vision is sorted soon, and I’m sorry you had a haemorrhage. It must have been scary.
Click to expand...
thanks and i hope so to. From what the optician said though it mite not clear and there is surgery that could be done but unlikely due the the state of the eye now. it is bad and has not got any better since. my worry now is if the other eye goes, i am stuffed then, my life is driving and boating so no towing my new project boat when kits done if its done. Bad enough with one eye gone. two gone .....well
thanks 🙂
 
Hi @Faffer

Sorry to hear what you’re going through with your eyesight. It is really frightening and does stop you in your tracks.

Treating retinal bleeds is a drawn out process but it has to be. There's a maximum number of laser burns that can be put on a retina at any session due to inflammation & there needs to be sufficient time between laser to allow things to settle. The blood from the retinal haemorrhage has got trapped in the eye ball jelly and it takes weeks /months to disperse and sometimes it doesn't clear away. After retinal haemorrhages the ophthalmologists can't see what is happening at the back of the eye and need to allow time to let the blood try and disperse to get a clearer view. I was referred to different hospitals for opinions, dye tests, scans etc

Had you had any changes in your retinal screening results prior to the bleed and loss of sight?

There is an operation called a vitrectomy where the eye ball jelly and all the trapped blood is removed from the inside of the eye and the jelly replaced with a clear solution. I've had vitrectomies in both eyes but my one eye was too damaged from sight threatening retinopathy and I didn't regain any sight. My other eye has central vision but no peripheral vision and I couldn't regain my driving licence.

This is good information about vitreous haemorrhages and vitrectomies.

Domain parking page

www.diabeticretinopathy.org.uk www.diabeticretinopathy.org.uk

My eye surgeon told me that I could no longer drive and wouldn't be able to drive again, I got sent to an independent optician by the DVLA for assessment but this was about 25 years back so the rules have probably all changed since.

After laser and other treatments my eyes are dazzled by bright light and I can't see in the dark so it's sunglasses on/off & try not to walk into anything. I hope your new glasses help and things settle down and improve for you.

Wishing you well with it all.
 
Last edited:
Faffer said:
am unsure if i should/need to tell the DVLA yet or wait untill i have been back to the eye hospital for more checks incase they need to do anyhting else.
Click to expand...
As far as I know you only tell them if you have had treatment to both eyes.
You do need to make sure though that you meet all the legal requirements regarding your vision ie., reading the number plate.
Hope you get sorted soon.
 
Flower said:
Hi @Faffer

Sorry to hear what you’re going through with your eyesight. It is really frightening and does stop you in your tracks.

Treating retinal bleeds is a drawn out process but it has to be. There's a maximum number of laser burns that can be put on a retina at any session due to inflammation & there needs to be sufficient time between laser to allow things to settle. The blood from the retinal haemorrhage has got trapped in the eye ball jelly and it takes weeks /months to disperse and sometimes it doesn't clear away. After retinal haemorrhages the ophthalmologists can't see what is happening at the back of the eye and need to allow time to let the blood try and disperse to get a clearer view. I was referred to different hospitals for opinions, dye tests, scans etc

Had you had any changes in your retinal screening results prior to the bleed and loss of sight?

There is an operation called a vitrectomy where the eye ball jelly and all the trapped blood is removed from the inside of the eye and the jelly replaced with a clear solution. I've had vitrectomies in both eyes but my one eye was too damaged from sight threatening retinopathy and I didn't regain any sight. My other eye has central vision but no peripheral vision and I couldn't regain my driving licence.

This is good information about vitreous haemorrhages and vitrectomies.

Domain parking page

www.diabeticretinopathy.org.uk www.diabeticretinopathy.org.uk

My eye surgeon told me that I could no longer drive and wouldn't be able to drive again, I got sent to an independent optician by the DVLA for assessment but this was about 25 years back so the rules have probably all changed since.

After laser and other treatments my eyes are dazzled by bright light and I can't see in the dark so it's sunglasses on/off & try not to walk into anything. I hope your new glasses help and things settle down and improve for you.

Wishing you well with it all.
Click to expand...
well what can i say but that is more than anybody has told me yet, but for the surgery i will unlikely be offered due to the state of my eye now. That was from the Optician, she said it is unlikely they will offer the vitrectomy.

I have had laser a few time sin both eyes over the last 20 years. Never had an haemorrhage though, Bloods always been good around 7 on the H1abc.

Just before Christmas 2021, infact 4 weeks before the haemorrhage the hospital discharged me as all has been good for a good time.

Oh yes i got my glasses today, reading is better with the reading glasses but long distance is not much better if at all. I am better using the better eye. maybe a patch will help. I have suffered with bright lights for a while now but recently it has got real bad. shades on all the time now. even in work if i am in the bright lit area.

My boss has started to help me fill in the V1 today but we had to stop due to needing my pass port so we can finish that off tomorrow. I dont think it looks good as i struggle to see a number plate at 20m. The longer the day goes on the worse my good eye gets aswell, tired i think and straining it maybe.

My wife is stressing more than me with this as she knows i will be hard work as i get down already doing things as i am a doer of making and faffing in my workshop at home. I dont like to moan but feel to do a bit here . There are folk worse off than me and i think you are one of them @Flower. All best for you and thanks for the reply, much appreciated 🙂
 
Pumper_Sue said:
As far as I know you only tell them if you have had treatment to both eyes.
You do need to make sure though that you meet all the legal requirements regarding your vision ie., reading the number plate.
Hope you get sorted soon.
Click to expand...
Hi there, oh i am being careful as its my living driving and part of my hobby. I dont want to risk anything, at the most driving and causing an accident. couldnt live with myself. As said above i struggle to see a number plate at 20m. so not good already for the test. And i have had laser in both eyes over the years. recently jsut one though for the haemorrhage.

thanks for the reply 🙂
 
Welcome to the forum @Faffer

Hope you are gradually able to see some improvements to the eye with the haemorrhage over time, and that you get good news from the DVLA.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Welcome to the forum @Faffer

Hope you are gradually able to see some improvements to the eye with the haemorrhage over time, and that you get good news from the DVLA.
Click to expand...
thanks and me too. I have a feeling i will have the licence revoked though, cant see a number plate even at 10m never mind 20. and eye is no better after over 3 months now. i have also asked work to drop me to 3 days as this job is doing my head in, miss driving. never been my kind of work packing and assembly. Still on a brighter note i am getting used to it

thank you 🙂
 
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