Vision Tests Due To Diabetic Retinopathy

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jay2k2

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Hi,

Im just wondering if there is any1 suffering diabetic retinopathy.
Over the last 2 year say i have had regular laser treatment to both eyes and more recently had a vitrectomy then a vitreous leak in the left eye. whilst under they gave my right eye a good hiding with the laser gun and eyesight hasnt been quite the same. i can see perfectly well but struggle with small print. i informed the DVLA about this and was referred to have a field vision test, which i have had before and passed. Now the DVLA have asked me to do a free vision test this means i have to go to the DSA test centre stand from a certain point and read a regestration plate from a certain distance.his
This worries me slightly but cant really see the relevance as i can see the driver in the car see which way they are indicating even the make and model of the car but just not able to see the regestration number clearly.
Has any1 else had to go through through this and what would happen if i was unable to pass this test!

By the way my Eyes are stable now and i feel my vision is Perfectly capable of driving! for Gods sake im only 24 and only had license for 1yr!!!

any help or advice would be great!

thanks Guys.
 
Hi jay2k2. Firstly welcome to the forum.

ALl I can really say is that the DVLA rules are what they are but are you certain that you're likely to fail ?

The number plate test has been the basic vision test for longer than I've been driving, so I suppose it's the yardstick by which we're all governed.

ANy other issues that we can help with, feel free to post. 🙂

Rob
 
Hi Jay2k2 - welcome to the forum - there are a number of members who have had laser treatment and vitrectomy - but I am not sure how many frequent the driving forum, but they will the general message board.

Will you be able to use glasses when you do the test (as you would for a driving test)? That might enable you to read the registration plate. Go to your optician and make sure you have the proper glasses for your test.

I think the relevance is not so much whether you can read the number plate but whether you would be able to read road signs at a similar distance. In particular signs that are erected due to an accident or warning you of a hazard.

Sorry to not be able to be of more help.
 
nope unfortunatly glasses arnt an option. i use the reading glasses for small print like a newspaper but other than that i can manage! to be honesti dont usually read things that are upto 20meters away, i would walk closer ha!

im not 100% sure i would fail, iv tried reading a reg plate 20 meters away and its been ok providing the sun isnt shining too bright.

its so frustrating having diabetes! i was diagnosed at 18mnth!
 
I would imagine, in a test environment, that you'll have good lighting and won't be bothered by reflections. TBH I'm not sure if I could read a plate with the sun shining on it.

I need glasses for driving but couldn't pass the vision test without them unless I really squinted and got lucky. :D

I suspect you'll find it easier than you think.

Rob
 
You do need to go and see your optitian to see if glasses will help you..

I am not legally required to wear glasses for driving, but I do because I'm borderline so it for me makes it more comfortable...

The ability to read a number plate at 20 meters (with or without glasses) is not just about reading road signs, but a good indicator for other areas of driving...

We acutally judge what distance we are behind a vehicle by it's number plate, with good dry driving conditions this is the minimal distance for stopping your car before you hit the vechicle in front!

Then you've got nightvision if you can't read a number plate at this distance in daylight, it will mean that you've got problems with nightvision for driving. During daylight I don't really notice the difference in my glasses unless I'm driving long distance I don't get an headache! But I really notice the difference when driving at night it's so much easier and I don't get dazzled by oncoming headlights so easily..

It also means that you are picking up roadsigns at a point where you can safely follow the road sign instruction if necessary without indangering other road users..

The actual test will be done outside in normal daylight conditions i,e what ever the daylight condition are for that day after all that is the sort of conditions you will be driving in!

I agree it's the pits having your driving licence revolked for what seems a minor problem... But in truth gutting feeling of living with this got to be far better than not being alive, or living the rest of ones life coping with the knowledge that it was I that killed my friend, family member, a child because I didn't realise why it's important to be able to read a number plate at 20 meters!
 
Hi

I have had lasering done in both eyes (specially my left eye) and finished the sessions before Christmas. Anyway, I informed the DVLA and they made me take a basic visual fields tests (where the optician moved his hands about and I had to tell him what I could see) and the computer visual fields test.

I passed both but I find that for one of my eyes, I have a bluriness which affects my vision. With my right eye, I can read an eye chart right down to the bottom line but with my left eye (where I have had tons of laser), I can just read the first three lines of an eye chart. Some days are worse than others. My opthalmologist told me there was some old blood around my central vision (which he hopes will clear) and I also had some fluid at the back of my eye (for which I am taking steriod drops). He hopes this will restore some of my vision. I had suggested glasses to my opthamologist but he told me to hold off going to my optician until the treatment had finished (as the bluriness might distort the results).

Anyway, when I close my right eye and use my left eye, I have difficutly reading a number plate in the distance.

It sounds like you should be ok. Keep us informed and even speak to your opthalmologist to see what they recommend.

Claire
 
well thanks for all the replys.

Ellie Jones - what you have said is all true its just so annoying, but now im thinking should i be crossing roads with the kids and stuff! its all about judging situations and i feel like im perfectly capable of doing so and thats whats beating me up!

I have actually been to see my local optician with a prescription from about a month ago and have had some distance glasses made up. This gave me great hope but when i put on the glasses thay dont seem to make a difference Ha, i dont understand!

Im actually at the RVI eye dept on monday for a routine check to make sure there is no further damage ect... so before they put in them horrible drops im going to ask to see the optician to have another eye test and to make sure these glasses have got more than just a plain sheet of glass in.

Claire - yes iv had that bother with the blood and fluid but think it was due to the vitrectomy the central vision is poor in the left eye but field vision is fine. (untill you have no sight at all in 1 eye you wont appreciate peripheral vision) i had to wait over 3 month before i got any vision back in the left eye. but now feel great, got a job (had to leave my old job due to it being on computers) theresx just 1 thing left to sort.... my car ha/

nope i,m hoping it should all be fine, just a case of wait and see eh! i just wish they would give me a date so i can pass/fail so i can put my mind at rest!
 
Jay

If you are border line, then you really don't notice the difference as such, I know I don't with mine except with night driving then it's a lot more notice able, so I would try them at night..

I keep my glasees in the car and how many times have I've gone to eye screening/specialist and they mention do I wear glasses, only for driving Errr and they are in the car😱 And I haven't got the car with me due to eye drops LOL
 
Hiya Jay

I have only joined this forum today, as i have only just been diagnosed as 'Mild Diabetic Retinopathy' in both eyes!

Losing my car doens't bear thinking about, so i can understand your concerns huni. Let us know how you go on!
Also my question is ............. how soon do you have to notify dvla??
 
I think, unless you're told otherwise, mild retinopathy wouldn't be a notifiable problem unless your vision is affected.

You could ask your GP about it or contact DVLA to be on the safe side.🙂

Rob
 
Never had to do a free vision test and normally just do the field vision every 3 years after having previous laser treatment on my eyes. I wear glasses for driving and can read a number plate without any trouble at 20 meters but without them I'd be struggling.
 
Mild retinopathy can sometimes be reversed, as long as you get really great control of your BG as soon as possible.

Have you? - if not start asking all your questions and tell the forum what you are struggling with.

Certainly unless you actually have to have laser treatment, then there is absolutely no need to tell anybody anything. If it actually did affect your vision then the person pronouncing that you have it, should tell you this straight away - at which point you should ask the Q 'Do I need to tell the DVLA or do anything else?'

Not retinopathy but I have 'the start of cataracts on both eyes' - optician who told me this said in his next breath 'It isn't affecting your vision as yet and you don't need to do anything or tell the DVLA - you just need to know about it and if you have any probs, come back' - without me asking him a single thing.

I assume that retinopathy which requires treatment would be the same or indeed anything else that affects your eyes whether diabetes related or not.
 
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