AIBU - I shouldn't have to wait until I can't see to drive before I get referred

[Sickoffamilydrama]

AIBU to try getting a second opinion?

Two relevant things I'm 47 and been short sighted since 15/16.

Started noticing there was something weird with my eyesight about a year and a half ago. Maybe 2 years this was after lots of backwards and forwards to the optician because they couldn't seem to get my prescription right and things were still looking blurry.

A senior optometrist realised I might have cataracts had a look and I have the start of cloudiness. The problem is it's at the centre of my pupil so that's why I'm noticing it more. Apparently most people it starts on the edges.

So with it getting darker I've obviously been driving at night time and this is when it becomes a problem. Yesterday went to an event and the route wasn't familiar, I came back in the dark and realised I can't read the speed limit on gurneys It's fine with some things but numbers that look similar to each other like 50, 60 and 20, same with signs so M5/ M6 I might struggle with and obviously the glare of the other cars makes it worse on motorways.

Luckily the car read the speed limit and I didn't make a mistake and choose the wrong lane but I can see me taking the wrong turn because I can't read the signs until I'm on top of them.

So I'd already booked an optician's appointment for today. As I'd noticed the worsening the other week, it's getting worse when they tested my prescription. That hasn't changed but there's a bit more cloudiness.

Now for the am I being a unreasonable part?

They told me that they wouldn't refer me until I couldn't drive. Keeping in mind I am the main earner in my family. Currently I'm job seeking after being made redundant but the types of jobs I'm looking at often require travelling and driving.

As well I don't think a new job will be happy if I have to stop driving also if it's not on a bus/train route I'd be restricted to local jobs only.

Plus I'm usually the main driver in the family particularly at night time as my husband had a freak eye condition and lost most of his sight in one eye (he can still drive but night is harder).

So do I go back in a few weeks and push for a referral?

AIBU - waiting for a 47 year old to not be able to drive before referring them is stupid.
YABU - wait until you can't drive and possibly can't work then get it sorted.

The waiting list isn’t two years for cataract surgery. My friend got his appointment letter two days after referral. Was seen within 10 days and date given for surgery, one month later. My mum
had a similar experience. It’s out sourced to private companies.

If you can't drive due to a disability/health problem you can get support with the access to work scheme. It's very good. They provide transport for people who can't drive because of their disability. It's only for work related driving though, including commuting.

I had cataract surgery at 30 and can remember the night driving issues a lot. I don’t have great night driving confidence now and only tend to drive if there are street lights, luckily I don’t need to!. Take care OP. Have they said if the night driving glasses (yellow tinted) would help?

Your eye test will tell if you are fit to drive, it's just being able to read down to a particular line on the chart (and peripheral vision). In poor light or glare many people can't easily read all the signs and that also depends on distance to the signs. You can also drive with only one good eye, so probably OK if the cataract is only in one eye. That always seems a bit odd as you really need binocular vision to judge distance but that's the rules.

My DH had a cataract done when his vision was perfectly good for driving and it was done in a few weeks.

If you cannot see to drive properly at night then you do not meet the DVLA standards for driving and so you do meet the criteria for being referred. You should also mention glare as this is another criteria factor. But they certainly shouldn't be fobbing you off and saying you need to be so blind you can't drive at all before they will refer you. Both my parents were referred by their optician while still able to drive. I'd get a second opinion.
Try Specsavers. They were very quick to refer me to the glaucoma clinic because my levels were marginal. Maybe they're more reasonable with cataracts too.

Please don't drive at night until this is sorted. You know yourself that it's not safe and you are putting yourself and others in danger. I had to accept a few years ago that I could no longer see well enough to drive in the dark. I have developed night blindness and can no longer walk safely in dark areas let alone drive