DVLA- Lost Licence due to VF

[ToeJam]

HI,

I was wondering if anyone has any advice or experience in getting a driver's licence back!

Quick background- diagnosed with well-developed Glaucoma a few days after birth in left eye (plus cataract, nystagmus, squint and a fixed iris) Lost sight completely by age 13/14. Glaucoma was identified in my right eye at 16 years old. Right eye was fine until 30, had to have a deep sclerectomy, all fine since.

In October I was sent for my DVLA VF and I got my letter this week telling me I can no longer drive. I am only 42 , with two children. I have always expected this but not so soon!

Has anyone had any experience of getting their licence back? I am planning on going for another private VF to see if I meet the standard. Is it worth having a normal eye test to check if i need glasses?

Any help or advice would be really appreciated

ToeJam

[muddledme]

Hello ToeJam,

It must be a shock when the DVLA cancel your licence, especially when you are young.

On Monday 28 th November Glaucoma UK had an excellent Webinar with a Q&A session that was so comprehensive, they did mention the stages to try and recover a licence.

The Webinars are usually available on the Glaucoma UK You tube website a few weeks after the initial talk. It may be worth asking the Glaucoma helpline 01233 64 81 70 if you can acsess this webinar , but also for advice on the next step. I think the RNIB are also very helpful.

Apparently when the licence is revoked you can ask the DVLA for an informal appeal.

There is also a special DVLA e mail for glaucoma patients ;

[e-mail].

Best wishes

[ToeJam in reply to muddledme]

Hi, muddledme, I just wanted to thank you for your helpful post. The email address you provided was invaluable!

Thank you so much

[rhys1234]

Certainly it could do no harm to have a standard eye test to see whether specs can assist with your vision generally [ I believe they cannot help as regards glaucoma visual field problems ].

I am surprised if you have not had such prior to now.

It would probably be a good idea to have it at the optician's which did your visual field test on behalf of DVLA. They might know about whether anyone ever comes back from your result to regain a DL.

My understanding though, as a total layperson, is that the visual field loss is progressive : once lost it can never return. The drops etc can only halt or slow the loss of field vision.

If that , however unpalatable, is the situation for you, it would probably be better to be told it definitively so that you can plan for life without a DL : very very inconvenient, I know.

But on the other hand, they don't take people's driving licences away for fun : you would feel much much worse if you continued to drive with inadequate field vision and as a result killed or maimed someone.

[ToeJam in reply to rhys1234]

Hi rhys1234,

Thank you for your response. I have never had a VF test that showed any changes to my VF. I have a VF test done yearly at my hospital appointments, so this is why the DVLA's decision was such a shock and why I sought advice from the Glaucoma community. I know they don't remove DL's for fun but they can make mistakes.

I am well aware of the risk of driving with Glaucoma and only one eye and will gladly surrender my licence when I am no longer fit to drive. I take that responsibility very seriously.

My asking for advice on this issue was because I knew that I had had no changes to VF at my last appointment.

Many thanks

[ToeJam]

Update:

I have been reissued my license for another 3 years.

After the initial shock, I followed the DVLA's appeals procedure and went for a private/independent eye test. The optician did the full raft of tests, pressure check, visual fields and general eye test. All came back as normal. The optician said I met the VF standard for driving.

I sent my new VF test to the DVLA Glaucoma email address on Sunday 4th December, stating that I wish to appeal their decision. On Monday morning, 5th December, I received an email saying that my case would be reviewed urgently. At 3pm on the 5th I was told that my license would be reissued! I assumed that once I had submitted my evidence that I would be sent back to Specsavers for a retest, as this is what it states in the DVLA's Appeal procedures, but they have not done that so I am curious as to why!

The relief as been immense! I have contacted the DVLA and asked why I failed the VF test that I completed at Specsavers. All my yearly VF tests completed at my ophthalmologist appointments have never shown any changes to my VF.

Thank you for the support, it has been appreciated

ToeJam