visual requirements for driving Flashcards
what is it a criminal offence for a driving licence holder or applicant to do
fail to notify the Drivers Medical Branch, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre, Swansea, immediately they become aware of any eyesight condition which is likely to cause them to be a source of danger to the public when driving
Failure to notify can also have serious motor insurance implications
by law when is awareness of a criminal offence normally regarded
regarded in law as starting as soon as the person has knowledge that a danger exists and this includes when they have received professional advice that their condition represents an immediate or potential danger when driving
what type of vehicles is group 1 drivers allowed to drive
ordinary family cars and light vans
what is the reading of number plate standards for group 1 drivers and what year of number plates does this refer to
- the ability to read in good daylight (with the aid of glasses or contact lenses, if worn) a registration mark fixed to a motor vehicle and containing:-
characters 79mm high and 50mm wide from 20 metres (just under 66 feet) - this refers to a post 1st September 2001 number plate
what new addition was made to the rules of reading a number plate, from when did this rule apply and why
- In addition, the visual acuity (with the aid of glasses or contact lenses if worn) must be at least 6/12 (0.5 decimal) with both eyes open, or in the only eye if monocular.
- from May 2012
- Brings the UK more in line with the EU standard which is 6/12 (or 0.5 decimal which is the notation Europe tends to use instead of snellen)
what is there no precise snellen equivalent to and what implications can this have when testing
- to the number plate standard
- The normal number plate test found on many test charts is NOT equivalent and should not be relied upon
what did Latham et al (2014) find about the visual acuity standards related to group 1 drivers
- With a binocular VA of 6/12 not all participants could pass the number plate test (as artificial light in the test room is not the same as daylight)
- In addition, some participants passed the number plate test but had VA below 6/12 (approx. 14-15%)
what did the findings of Latham et al (2014) suggest in order to best predict drivers’ ability to read a number-plate
- vision should be assessed using a logMAR letter chart or a Snellen chart scored by full line (i.e. all 5 letters on every line of the LogMAR)
- Drivers with 6/7.5 (+0.10 logMAR) or better vision can be advised that they meet the driving standard. If no 6/7.5 line on the chart then driver should be able to read 6/6.
- Drivers with acuity between 6/9 and 6/12 (+0.12—+0.30 logMAR) should be advised to check their ability to read a number-plate, as some may not be able to.
what did the AOP advise about how optometrists should respond if a patient asks if they’re fit to drive
- optometrists should not provide certificates of ability to pass the “number plate test” based on consulting room tests
- Statutory law and the law of tort make it unwise to advise on ability to pass “number plate test” based on Snellen VA alone
- If it is only acuity that is in question (i.e. not fields or diplopia etc) it is best to advise the patient to satisfy themselves that they can pass the “number plate test”
- If in doubt the patient should report to the Licensing Centre who will arrange for the test to be accurately carried out at a Driving Test Centre
what should a patient do if they’re in doubt about whether they meet the visual requirements as a group 1 driver from their test results at the opticians
the patient should report to the Licensing Centre who will arrange for the test to be accurately carried out at a Driving Test Centre
if a patient’s unaided vision is worse than 6/12, whose responsibility is it for the DVLA to know of this and what must the optometrist do on their side
- It is the patient’s responsibility to inform the DVLA if they are below the required visual standards for driving
- Explain that the patient’s insurance may be affected if they do not wear their glasses
- Annotate the record card with advice given to the patient
what must you as an optometrist do if a patient refuses to wear their distance glasses in order to meet the visual requirements for group 1 drivers and refuses to take your advice
- note this on the record card – ideally get patient to sign this
- If the patient is “…clearly visually dangerous”, and is continuing to drive despite your professional advice, consult the legal department of the AOP before going straight to the DVLA as this can breach patient confidentiality
which types of vehicles are group 2 licence holders allowed to drive
- LGV = large goods vehicles (lorries)
- PCV = passenger carrying vehicles (buses)
Must pass the number plate test
what 3 changes wee made from march 2013 in regards to group 2 licence holders and their visual requirements
- Must achieve at least 6/7.5 VA in the better eye [was 6/9 previously]
- Must achieve at least 6/60 VA in the worse eye [was 6/12 previously]
- Must have a corrective power of equal to or less than +8.00D (due to aberrations in high positive lenses) and there’s no specific limit for the corrective power of contact lenses
why were more stringent va’s for group 2 drivers required
as they have more responsibilities
why is the spectacle corrective power of no more than +8.00D for group 2 drivers required and what exceptions are there
due to the aberrations found in high +ve spectacle lenses
however they can use contact lenses that are > +8.00D in power
give 6 suggestions as to why the visual requirement rules for group 2 drivers does not help optometrists
- The difference in VA between 6/7.5 and 6/9 is very small
- Not every Snellen chart has a 6/7.5 line
- Test chart must be positioned accurately at 6m
- Charts at shorter distances than 6m and scaled to 6m must be accurately scaled
- +8.00D refraction limit does not specify whether it is the mean sphere power or “highest powered meridian”
- Hyperopes often become more hyperopic as they get older, so may start off less than +8.00D before crossing the +8.00D boundary (as they can accommodate through the lens as they get older)
what is there no statutory requirement in UK legislation of for group 1 drivers and what applies to them instead
- for fields of vision
- but the Second EC (european) Directive applies
what UK rules are there for european drivers who want to drive in the UK
- if they come to the UK, they can drive for up to one year without a UK licence
- they are allowed to use bioptic telescopes when driving, even though it is not a UK rule
when will a visual field standard usually be applied to a driver
when there is evidence that a defect exists
what are the standards/rules for safe driving defined as, (which apples to a patient who has a existing visual field defect)
- The minimum field of vision for safe driving is defined as a field of vision of at least 120º on the horizontal measured by the Goldmann perimeter using the III4e settings (or equivalent perimetry).
- In addition there should be no significant defect in the binocular field which encroaches within 20º of fixation above or below the meridian.
what is the minimum field of vision required in the horizontal meridian and what must this specifically be measured by
120º
the Goldmann perimeter using the III4e settings (or equivalent perimetry).