Visual Standard for Drivers Flashcards
Describe License B or Group 1 drivers?
- Motorcycles, cars and light vans with up to 8 passenger seats
- 3 questions about eyesight:
1. “Can you read (w/ or w/o glasses or corrective lenses) a car no. plate with figures on it which are 79.4mm high and 57mm wide from a distance of 20.5m?
2. “Do you need to wear glasses/corrective lenses when driving?”
3. “Have you ever had, or do you currently suffer from any of following conditions:
Any condition affecting BOTH eyes, or remaining eye if only have one eye? (do not include colour blindness or short/long sight). (Driving standard 20)
Any condition affecting your VF? (driving standard 21)
Describe the number plate test?
- Number plates – 50mm wide and 79.5mm high
- Viewing distance – 20m
- Charles Wright Font
- Consistent with Snellen VA of 6/9-2 (only need to read 3 of them)
- Binoc VA of 6/9 or better means standard almost certainly met
- Binoc VA of 6/18 or worse mean standard almost certainly failed
- The only required independent visual assessment:
o Takes place at time of driving test
o Carried out by driving examiner - All drivers in UK are required to notify DVLA if unable to comply with current driving standards for vision
Describe Binocular VF in relation to drivers?
- Minimum field of vision for safe driving is a field of at least 120° on horizontal measured using a target equivalent to white Goldman III4e settings (3mm white target at distance of 333mm)
- Should be no significant defect in binoc VF which encroaches within 20° of fixation above or below horizontal meridian
- Esterman Binoc VF Test
o Grid of 120 test points to examine more than 130° of VF
Describe the guide for current medical standards of fitness to drive? including conditions which limit the px
- Individual has a duty to inform DVLA at any time if there is change in circumstances
- Information must be given on pathological conditions likely to last >3mths
- Insuperable diplopia causes unfitness to drive
o Diplopia correctable by prisms or patching is not a bar on driving, provided px always uses prism/patch
o Functional adaptation - Lack of colour vision is not a bar to driving
- Night blindness:
o Acuity & field standards must be met
o Cases considered on individual basis - Monocularity is not a bar to driving:
o Adaptation to condition is complete
o Eyesight standards can be met - Progressive conditions:
o Glaucoma
o High myopia
o Cataract
o Diabetic retinopathy
o Macular degeneration
Require notification
Licence is issued as long as other requirements are fulfilled
Licence is issued for 1, 2 or 3 years - Licenses are issued to people with a minimum age of 17
- Licenses are valid until driver turns 70
What is the optom’s duty when it comes to vision & driving?
- If test person of driving age who is found to fall below driving test standard – inform them they do not meet requirements
- Note on record
- Px should be warned that failure to report defect may jeopardise their motor insurance
- If they will not inform authority – seek advice from AOP
Who classes as needing a Group 2 license - licenses for Professional & Vocational Driving (PVD)?
- Large goods vehicles (LGV, formerly HGV)
- Passenger carrying vehicles (PCV, formerly PSV)
- Hackney carriages or private hire vehicles (minicabs)
- Required for people who are employed as drivers, where majority of time is spent driving
- Licenses to drive medium-sized vehicles (3.5-7.5 tonnes)
- Minibuses with 9-16 passenger seats
- Any vehicles with heavy trailers (>750kg)
Describe eye conditions and applications for Professional & Vocational Driving (PVD) - Group 2?
- Eye conditions:
o Any pathological field defect is a bar – drivers must have full VF
o Any insuperable diplopia or monocular vision is a bar – patching is not acceptable - All new applicants & applicants on renewal:
o Must have VA, with corrective lenses if necessary, of at least 6/9 in better eye & at least 6/12 in worst eye
o If corrective lenses are used, uncorrected acuity in each eye must reach 3/60 on Snellen scale
o Must have normal field of vision in both eyes
o Must not be suffering from diplopia - ALL APPLICANTS:
o Must carry spare pair of specs or CLs when driving
o They must be able to tolerate any vision correction well
Describe more recommendations for Professional & Vocational Driving? including exceptions to the standards
- Exceptions to above standards:
o Drivers who already held vocational licence on 31/12/97, but do not meet new uncorrected vision standards on renewal may be excempt if:
Meet previous (pre 1/1/97) UK standard
Corrected acuities of at least 6/9 in better eye & at least 6/12 in worse eye - Uncorrected acuity of at least 3/60 in at least one eye
1st obtained pro driving entitlement before 1983 &have been allowed to continue to drive despite poor eyesight – “grandfather rights” in prev UK standards
Some of these drivers can be monocular
o They still must meet eyesight regulations applied when 1st obtained license & declare:
They have drive LGV or PCV on at least 10 occasions in last 5yrs
3 of these occasions being within previous 18months
They have not been involved in any accident in preceding 10yrs in which eyesight may have been factor - If have px claiming “grandfather rights”, be cautious with advice unless they meet current eyesight standards
Describe the ages group 2 are valid for and when renewal is needed?
- Group 2 licences are valid until age of 45 or for 5 years
- From age of 45 renewals are every 5 years
- From age of 65 renewals are annual
- Taxi drivers are normally licensed by local authorities
Royal Air Force Vision Standards - Recording of vision?
o Code numbers: 1= 6/6, 2=6/9, 3=6/12, 4=6/18, 5=6/24, 6=6/36, 7=6/60, 8=<6/60
o Top number represents unaided vision
o Bottom number represents corrected acuity e.g. 5/2 – unaided vision of 6/24 & corrected VA of 6/9
Royal Air Force Vision Standards - Contact Lenses?
o Aircrew only allowed to fly wearing approved CL types – fitting, supply & routine review is carried out by Service appointed optoms
o No such restrictions apply to ground crew
Royal Air Force Vision Standards - Colour Perception?
o CP2: no errors are made using Ishihara plates under prescribed conditions
o CP3: errors made on Ishihara plates but subject can correctly name lights represented by Holmes Wright Lantern
o CP4: unable to pass Holmes Wright Lantern
o Artificial aids to colour perception – e.g. ChromaGen lenses (sot CLs tinted w/ variety of filters) are not acceptable
Royal Air Force Vision Standards - Minimum Entry Standard?
o 8/2 with refraction limit of +8.00 to -7.00D along strongest meridian
o 8/2 = unaided vision of <6/60 and corrected VA 6/9)
Royal Air Force Vision Standards - Refractive Surgery
o Hx of refractive surgery is bar to entry for all aircrew & specialist branches
o For entry to non-specialist ground branches:
Pre-op refraction not more that +8.00 or -7.00 along highest meridian
At least 12 months elapsed since last procedure
Refraction is stable – no more than 0.50D spherical equivalent change shown at 2 refractions performed at least 6mths apart
Describe the conditions that are a permanent bar to entry to Air Force?
- Corneal disorders:
o Recurrent herpes simplex
o Corneal grafts
o Refractive surgery (aircrew)
o Keratoconus - Inflammatory disease:
o Uveitis
o Hx of uveitis - Cataract & pseudophakia
- Retinopathy – Any hx of central serous retinopathy, diabetic or hypertensive retinopathy
- Retinal dystrophies:
o Retinitis pigmentosa
o Choroideraemia
o And related conditions - Retinal detachment – Even if successfully treated
- Neuro-ophthalmic conditions:
o Any hx of paretic squint, optic neuritis or ophthalmic migraine
