DVLA nightmare

[Bfree]

I’m feeling really upset and distressed . I’m 42 with myopic degeneration. I had a bleed in my left eye in 2015 . Due to this is have no central vision in my left eye . I wear glasses and optician said I was fine to drive and still say this however DVLA feel the need to drag me through hell and now I’m panicking that I’m going to lose my driving licence .

In October I had to renew my licence it has a small medical questionnaire attached and I ticked that I had a problem with my vision in my right eye . Since then I’ve been asked for my hospital notes even though I’ve not been since 2016 . Roll on a few months then I’m asked to take an eye test and vision field test .

This caused me so much stress and anxiety

. I attended but failed the vision field test first time then passed the second but a technical issue with the system meant I had to do it again and then I thought I passed the third time .

Roll on another two months I’ve just had a letter saying that I need to repeat the vision field test as the optician hadn’t been completed to their requirements… what ever that means .

I feel so sick . I’m so upset I need to be able to drive this is going to cause me to lose my job my house and my daughter won’t be able to go to clubs I won’t be able to visit my parents who live 200 miles away . This will destroy me .

I’m lucky enough at this stage to be able to live a normal life and my optician said I meet the eye sight test so I don’t understand why I am getting dragged through this . It’s been 8 months .

I don’t know what to do I’m so upset

[GavinM]

What a dreadful mistake ticking that box. As far as DVLA are concerned, if your vision, as verified by your optician, is good enough to drive then you DONT have a problem with your vision in the right eye. I've formed the impression you are still driving and that you believe they might unfairly prevent you continuing. (Rather than the other way round). I would go and get one or two more eye tests which all say you are fit to drive and send them to DVLA along with a formal complaint about how they have treated you.

[tallyho in reply to GavinM]

You may need a visual field test still even if an optician says your visual acuity is fine the DVLA will want to know your peripheral vision is ok too.

[Bfree in reply to GavinM]

Yes massive mistake

[Blink182_joel]

Hi Bfree, what I always, always, always realise when worrying, stressing, having panic attacks, anxiety about something, is that the worse case scenario that your “little voice” is telling you will happen, never happens. It will, more than likely be fine, and it’s just a process that you need to complete. Nobody at DVLA is even thinking about you individually. You are just in the system, and need the necessary tick-boxes ticking/unticking so they can decide. If docs say ok, then try not to worry, as it does nobody any good! Fingers crossed for you!

[Hidden]

It is always best to inform the DVLA and your insurance company. Here is the link to the government list of eye conditions that need reporting. I'm sure you will be fine, just don't over think it. All the best.

gov.uk/eye-conditions-and-d...

[tallyho]

I am so sorry to hear this what a nightmare, I hope you get an appointment soon and this is sorted out ASAP.

[tallyho]

May I ask you say you failed your visual field test, in which eye did you fail? Your right or left? If left and passed in right that could be important Also have you had treatment in your right or left eye at all? Like laser. I know the issue of the left just wondered, if you had that would be why they want the visual field test done

[Bfree in reply to tallyho]

It was both eyes . I failed due to too many false points but to be honest I had misunderstood the procedure

[pinkperfection]

Yes what the others have said is good advice. DVLA are out of control at present. My husband had to notify them of a seizure he had in February and was told by hospital he cannot drive. We have heard nothing so he is stuck. It is so frustrating and I feel for you. Hope things improve for you soon.

[DevonianA]

Sorry to hear. I am elderly and not driving was not a complete disaster like you,,!. However it is so stressful I understand how you feel, However I am sure you will get your licence back. If you have a good eye and pass the field test I'm sure you will be OK. I have MND in one eye and mild glaucoma in both eyes and passed. Good luck and best wishes.

[doubleorbust]

What i hear and read constantly it's that you only need good enough vision in one eye to be able to drive. I have wet MD in my left and dry in the right. The left is deteriorating so much more quickly than I expected that I fear it will be pretty useless before too long but I know one- eyed people can drive so that's keeping me going. I just checked this out on the gov.uk site. It says

You do not need to tell DVLA if you have monocular vision if you’re still able to meet the standards of vision for driving.

So I've got my fingers crossed that my good(ish) eye stays firm. 6/9 corrected at present.

And fingers crossed for you too now Bfree.

[Alfonso365 in reply to doubleorbust]

HI. THE PROSPECT OF LOSING YOUR DRIVING LICENCE IS HORRENDOUS BUT IN PRACTICE IT ISN'T. FACED WITH THE PROBLEM YOU WILL FIND A SOLUTION TO ALL THE PROBLEMS YOU RAISED. I LOST MY LICENCE SIX YEARS AGO AND ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT O F ADJUSTMENT THE MAIN ONE HAS BEEN LEARNING PATIENCE.

THE FIELDS TEST CAN BE A NIGHTMARE BECAUSE IT IS SO DIFFICULT TO CONCENTRATE FOR SO LONG. AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW IT IS A TEST FOR THE EFFECTS OF GLAUCOMA. THIS ALONE CAN MAKE DRIVING UNSAFE BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF PERIPHERAL VISION. BEFORE TAKING IT YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR PROSPECTS OF PASSING BY AVOIDING ALCOHOL, GETTING A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP AND DEEP BREATHING/YOGA EXERCISES BEFOREHAND. IF YOU FAIL AGAIN YOUR OPTICIAN SHOULD CHECK THE PRESSURES OF FLUID IN YOUR EYES.

ALSO HIGH STREET OPTICIANS ARE OFTEN BUSY, STRESSFUL PLACES. THE CALM OF A PRIVATE CONSULING ROOM WITH LITTLE PRESSURE ON TIME CAN ALSO HELP. UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS QUITE EXPENSIVE.

[Beldie]

Hello there. We've just had some good news from DVLA which I'm happy to share with you: my husband, aged 85, had sent off to renew his licence a few months ago but hasn't heard a word since, despite trying to find out what has happened. He has worried for months wondering what's happening. Just the other day, however, he found a phone number for them that worked and spent 20 minutes talking to a friendly young woman who told him he didn't need to renew for another year so he didn't have a problem and said that sometimes the DVLA did make a mistake (they should have told him he didn't need to renew!). So the problem has gone. Perhaps they have made a mistake in your case too. Could you find a phone number for DVLA to speak to someone who can help. They are currently trying to catch up with all the problems and delays caused them by Covid and it sounds like they're in a state of some confusion themselves. I understand why you're focussing on the worst possible outcome but that is not the ONLY possible outcome. I'm so sorry that you feel so bad but try to keep in touch with folk here and let their experiences help you. Good luck.

[Bfree in reply to Beldie]

Thank you for your lovely message