Newly diagnosed Wet & Dry worried about my driving license

[Ramoth]

I'm 54 and noticed some wavy lines in my vision last Thursday and thanks to google I knew to get to the Optician straight away. She has told me I have WET AMD in my left eye and minor spots of Dry in my right eye which are not an issue for now but will need annual monitoring. I've got my first AMD clinic appointment on the 27th June (seems a long way away to me) and I've been told I must not drive until they have seen me at the hospital. Unfortunately I have mobility issues for which I have a blue badge and lower rate mobility PIP so I can keep working - but unless I can drive I won't be able to do my job properly - if at all.

My concern is that because its been noted I have wet & dry that I will have to notify this to DVLA even though my right eye is 20/20 at the moment and this could mean I cannot drive for months. Does anyone know if the fact that I have both types mean I have to notify or if the fact the right eye is 20/20 means that if the hospital says OK I can just carry on driving?

[Macular_1]

Hello Ramoth,

I am so sorry to learn about your diagnosis.

If you have been told that you have AMD in both eyes, you must legally tell the DVLA. That said, if your vision is good; better than a visual acuity of 6/12 in at least one eye then you will still be legally OK to drive. (In the UK we use a base measure of '6' where 20/20 vision is the same as 6/6).

Please see our booklet about driving;

macularsociety.org/sites/de...

You mention that you have wet AMD in one eye. If this is the case you should be be fast tracked into a hospital macular unit and ideally seen within 7 days (no longer than 14 days). You are just within this time period I believe.

Please see our booklet about treatments;

macularsociety.org/sites/de...

If you would like to have a chat further, please call the helpline of the Macular Society, 0300 30 30 111 (9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday).

Best wishes

Macular Society

[Hidden]

Hi ramoth, the Mac Soc have given you the info but I just wanted to add a note based on my experience.

My optician sent me to the hospital saying they thought I had wetmd one eye, dry in the other. However, the specialist determined a different diagnosis (brvo not wetmd and no problem other eye). I asked why the optician had said differently and was told they were just being cautious.

I based my decision not necessary to inform dvla on the experts ie when I received the actual real diagnosis (they confirmed my good eye met driving requirements and my reading of the dvla site indicated no notification was therefore necessary in my case). However, I don't think they ask you to surrender your licence immediately if you have issues both eyes but meet the visual driving requirements - you can always ring them to check if you're concerned and of course it's important not to invalidate your insurance.

Hope all goes well for you.

Ps - love your name , think we may have read the same books? X

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Go to the DVLA website for definitive guidance on driving . So long as you meet the requirements to read a car numberplate at the specified distance there is no need to notify them.

Annoyingly, the DVLS frequently modify the wording to say exactly the same thing!!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Yes Rennatk. I did go to their website. But it does (did) mention certain things such as central scotoma which is notifiable even if you can read a numberplate - the point I was trying to make was wait until you get an actual diagnosis from the experts so you know what condition 's rules you have to meet (I had been told I had a scotoma but the experts said not).

Yes, rewriting to say the same thing is only good if it makes things clearer ha ha.

Wish things were clearer for me - I have my review tomorrow and I think it's going to be bad news. Hey ho, I'll post and let y'all know x

[Ramoth]

Thanks everyone for the quick replies and information - I saw the consultant today and I do NOT have AMD either wet or dry in either eye! It was a misdiagnosis by the optician who the consultant thinks was probably a little over eager. What I do have is a Macular Hole in the left eye which does require surgery but it's fixable and I should regain much of the lost vision eventually. I am fine to drive as I have 20/20 in the right eye and today I managed to go 1 line below the driving minimum standard in the affected eye so either way I'm legal to drive! Its SUCH a relief - he said other than the hole both eyes look pretty healthy and there is no sign of any AMD so once the hole is closed that should be that. Theres only 3 surgeons in my area that can do the surgery so theres a 3-6 month waiting list but I shouldn't notice any further deterioration and sometimes it can happen that it gets a little better on its own.

Thank you once again for the support.