Mild double vision, vision loss and driving / dvla.

[InterstellarOverdrive]

I have a dodgy left eye, the vision in it has been gradually getting worse over the last 18 months or so. I'm short sighted anyway and I have a posterior vitreous detatchment (left eye), mild posterior sub capsular cataracts (both eyes) and drusen (both eyes - not even really sure what drusen is).
After a very thorough appointment with the orthoptist today I now have a stick on prism lens on my left glasses lens to see if it helps with the double vision I've been experiencing and I'm due to have a few more tests over the next few weeks to see if they can get to the bottom of what's causing all this.

I've had crap vision in my left eye for ages now but it doesn't really interfere with my driving. My right eye is fine, it's just the left that causes the double vision and is blurry. I only really get the double vision with text and it comes and goes. It's not like I see two cars when there is just one. The orthoptist has said she has to advise me not to drive as the dvla won't allow someone with double vision to drive and I have to inform them and fill in a form. She did also say that if the prism lens works I should be able to drive so I'm really hoping it does work, although it's very odd having something slightly opaque stuck to your glasses so will take some getting used to.

I'm really going to struggle without my car. I live semi rurally and I drive my girls to school every day. I drive to work (no public transport could get me there). I feel lost without my car. I'm wondering if anyone has been in a similar position and if the dvla have allowed you to keep driving? The orthoptist said that they may even allow me to drive if I cover my left eye but driving with one eye seems much worse to me. I'm obviously not going to drive until I get the all clear to do so but I have no idea what to do about work in the meantime. I only work two days a week but I really need to keep the job. I'm hoping all this is temporary and I'll be able to drive again soon but it says the dvla can take up to 6 weeks to make a decision and my further tests aren't for at least another 2 weeks so that's potentially 2 months already with no car. I'm gutted :(

Hi Op , I’m an Orthoptist, the likelihood is you will be allowed to resume driving but the DVLA will want further information from you and may write to the orthoptist you have seen as well as they will want to know that your double vision is corrected either by a prism or a patch. The DVLA have taken longer to respond during Covid but if you complete the form online it is usually quicker. I’m assuming you are a car driver , if you drive an HGV the rules are stricter and you cannot drive with one eye patched . Hope you get a reply soon

Thank you, that's reassuring. The prism seems to be helping so keeping my fingers crossed. I find it quite frustrating that I've had this issue for so long, seen so many consultants and optometrists and no one has even mentioned driving until yesterday and now I finally have some improvement I'm told I can't drive! Slightly annoying. Hopefully it will move along reasonably quickly.

The DVLA changed the legislation in 2016 it used to say that if we corrected your double vision with a patch or prism you could go straight out and drive. They now say you must stop driving and inform the DVLA and not drive again until they give you the all clear. There will unfortunately still be a lot of professionals unaware that this changed and for someone like you who has had this a long time it doesn’t seem a reasonable stance to take. My experience is the DVLA do tend to respond reasonably quickly . I’ve attached the relevant bit below if you haven’t already managed to find it www.gov.uk/guidance/visual-disorders-assessing-fitness-to-drive#diplopia

Thank you, that's really helpful. Much appreciated 🙂

If you cover your left eye can you see okay? No double vision?

You can drive with just one eye with no restrictions so maybe that would work?

@TheGoodEnoughWife

If you cover your left eye can you see okay? No double vision?

You can drive with just one eye with no restrictions so maybe that would work?

Sorry Goodenough but that is not correct, if you are adapting to drive with one eye the DVLA still need to know and you can only drive group 1 vehicles using one eye

@Rodders92 No, you do not have to tell the DVLA if you only have sight in one eye for a car / motorcycle. Please do link to where it says you do?

Apologies @Rodders92 I see you have linked to information which I am reading through now.

(Currently training to be a driving instructor so am keen to fully understand)

That’s ok no offence takenif you’ve always just had sight in one eye you can drive providing the visual acuity and peripheral vision is good enough in the other eye. It’s when you go from binocular vision to using one eye the situation is different

Yes I see (!) that now. A change is an issue after passing your test. Thank you for link.

I think I'd really struggle with just one eye. Hoping it doesn't come to that.

@Rodders92 I hope you don't mind me asking but with the prism lens and both eyes together everything looks pretty good at the moment. Definitely not perfect but better than what I've been used to. However with just my left eye my vision is still crap, even with the prism. Is my left eye beyond help? I don't really understand why the prescription can't be changed or more prism added so that I can see properly with my left eye as well. The orthoptist I saw said that because of the combination of PVD and the imbalance in vision it is difficult. I'm having more tests and seeing a consultant over the next few weeks so obviously I will ask them as well but I'd like to get some kind of idea in my head of what I might be able to expect. I already have hearing loss and wear hearing aids so the thought of permanent sight loss is quite scary. I had a retinal detatchment in my right eye 12 years ago that was thankfully fixed very well so I'm not giving up hope for my left eye yet but it's so difficult not knowing what's really going on. All I've been told so far is that the PVD might get better or it might not. Thanks for your help x

I have MS and had optic neuritis which caused double vision and had to have a prism fitted.

I had to stop driving initially but after a while the prism corrected my sight.

I was permitted to drive once the prism was shown to be working (so with the prism).

This was in 2018 I think.

I now have a medical licence which is reviewed every three years.

@GettingTooOldForThis thanks, that's reassuring that you are able to drive again. Sorry to hear you have MS though. I think they've checked for signs of that but not sure. I'm guessing optic neuritis is fairly straightforward to diagnose?

Interstellar, the lens in your glasses focusses the image on your retina but you still might not see as well with one eye if there are other changes in that eye that cause reduced clarity of the image . A PVD itself doesn’t usually cause blurring of the vision but some people can go on to develop an epiretinal membrane which is like a bit of scar tissue that can affect central vision, you’ve also got some cataract which may affect vision depending where it is in the eye lens and how severe it is. The Fresnel ( temporary) prism itself will cause a bit of blurring as well when you just look through the eye with the prism, the higher the prism strength the more blurring there will be. Drusen are little fatty deposits that can build up under the retina and become much more common as you get older . If you are seeing a consultant soon they should be able to tell you exactly what is contributing to your reduced vision. You are likely to have an OCT scan as part of your examination which looks at the health of the retina and macula in detail

[quote InterstellarOverdrive]@GettingTooOldForThis thanks, that's reassuring that you are able to drive again. Sorry to hear you have MS though. I think they've checked for signs of that but not sure. I'm guessing optic neuritis is fairly straightforward to diagnose?[/quote]
Thanks I am fortunate that my MS is well controlled with medication.

I don't think it's that easy to diagnose they thought I had had a stroke at first

@GettingTooOldForThis they thought you'd had a stroke? How strange! Glad your MS is well controlled.

@Rodders92 that makes more sense now, thank you so much for your help. I've had an OCT scan which was fine apparently so next step is to have a contrast injection so they can check blood flow & circulation. Also having visual field test as well. Hopefully things will move quickly and I'll get some answers soon.