Eye Conditions & Driving: Key Things to Know

Driver safety can depend heavily on your vision, making it essential to understand and manage any conditions that may impair your sight and affect your driving ability. Here, we’ll be guiding you through the eyesight requirements in the UK, the conditions you must inform the DVLA about before getting behind the wheel, and anything you need to know about driving with various eye conditions.

For the latest updates and information regarding eye conditions and driving, we recommend checking the DVLA website.

Driving eye requirements in the UK

UK rules and laws for vision and driving are in place to keep everybody on the roads safe – from drivers and road users to pedestrians. Let’s go through all the requirements you should know about, including the visual standards you need to meet, and the eye conditions you must notify the DVLA about.

There are different vision standards for driving depending on the type of vehicle. An optician can test your visual standard to ensure you meet the requirements for driving any vehicle type and check for any vision or eye problems.

Standards for cars

The DVLA states that you must be able to read in good daylight a car number plate made after 1 September 2001 from 20 metres to meet the visual standards for driving a car. Your visual acuity must also be at least 0.5 (6/12) on the Snellen scale using both eyes together, or if you have sight in one eye only, in that eye. An optician will typically test this by asking you to read the letter chart at your routine eye examination. You can wear glasses or contact lenses for these tests, if necessary, to help you meet these requirements.¹

To meet the adequate field of vision requirements for driving a car, you must have an uninterrupted horizontal field of at least 120 degrees, extending to at least 50 degrees left and right. You should also have clear sight within a 20-degree radius.²

Standards for HGVs and PCVs

As with the standards for driving a car, the DVLA also states that you must be able to read in good daylight a car number plate made after 1 September 2001 from a distance of 20 metres to meet the visual standards for driving HGVs and PCVs. Your visual acuity must also be a minimum of 0.5 (6/12) on the Snellen scale with both eyes together, or if you only have sight in one eye, it must meet the visual acuity alone. An optician can check this during a routine eye examination by asking you to read the letter chart. You may wear glasses or contact lenses during the tests if necessary to help you meet the sight requirements.¹

An adequate field of vision for driving an HGV or PCV is defined as an uninterrupted horizontal visual field of at least 160 degrees, extending to at least 70 degrees left and right and 30 degrees up and down. You should have completely clear sight within a central 30-degree radius.¹

DVLA notifiable eye conditions

Eye conditions you must notify the DVLA about differ depending on the type of vehicle being driven.

For cars, you must notify the DVLA if you have any of the following conditions³:

Blepharospasm
Diabetic retinopathy (with laser treatment)
Diplopia (double vision)
Glaucoma
Nyctalopia (night blindness)
Retinitis pigmentosa

Meanwhile, the conditions you must inform the DVLA of if you’re driving a bus, coach or lorry include⁴:

Blepharospasm
Cataracts (only if you have an increased sensitivity to glare)
Diabetic retinopathy (with laser treatment)
Glaucoma
Loss of an eye
Macular degeneration
Monocular vision (sight in one eye only)
Nyctalopia (night blindness)
Retinitis pigmentosa
Visual field defect

How to inform the DVLA about your eye condition

Informing the DVLA about any conditions affecting your eyes or vision is simple. You can self-report your condition by filling in an online form. Alternatively, if you cannot use the online service, you can fill in form V1 and send it to the DVLA. This is also the form you should use if you have a condition in one eye and another condition affecting your other eye.

If you fail to notify the DVLA about any medical condition that affects your ability to drive, you may be fined up to £1,000. You could also risk prosecution if you’re involved in an accident linked to your eye condition.³

Please note that the criteria and penalties are subject to change. For the latest updates, check the DVLA site.

Eye conditions and driving, explained

The following eye conditions may not always result in somebody being unable to drive safely. However, you may be obligated to report these conditions to the DVLA because they can impact vision beyond the standards for some.

Cataracts

Cataracts are a natural age-related eye condition which can cause cloudy vision and significantly reduce visual acuity, particularly at night or in bright sunlight owing to glare. This might mean that you no longer meet the vision requirements of seeing 6/12 on a Snellen chart and/or a car number plate from 20m. You must tell the DVLA if you develop cataracts, and you drive a lorry, bus or coach.

In many cases, this can be corrected with surgery, which can then allow you to drive again if your vision is significantly improved to meet the standard required.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma typically affects the peripheral vision and can lead to tunnel vision. This can limit a driver’s visual field and ability to see other vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles on the road. For some, it may cause a reduction in the visual field beyond the minimum standard, meaning they cannot legally drive.

Drivers with glaucoma must undergo regular eye tests and inform the DVLA of their condition, regardless of which type of vehicle they drive.

Macular degeneration

Macular degeneration can lead to central vision loss, affecting a person’s ability to see finer details, such as reading street signs, seeing obstacles and pedestrians whilst driving or recognising faces. This can often be age-related.

Drivers with AMD (age-related macular degeneration) must be able to meet the required visual acuity and visual field standards. If vision is impaired below the standards, they may be prohibited from driving. Regular eye tests and reporting to the DVLA if you drive a lorry, bus or coach are important for those with this condition.

Diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition where high blood sugar levels associated with diabetes may cause damage to the blood vessels in the retina. This may lead to symptoms such as bleeding, swelling, or the growth of abnormal blood vessels, which can cause vision impairment in some.

Those experiencing the early stages of the condition may not have any noticeable symptoms, but as it progresses, blurry vision, dark spots and floaters can develop in your vision. In some extreme cases, diabetic retinopathy can lead to total blindness.

Since it often impacts peripheral vision and visual field, identifying hazards while driving can become difficult, which is why you must report this condition to the DVLA whether you drive a car, bus, lorry or coach. Treatment for retinopathy may also involve using a laser to destroy the retina, which often reduces the vision field. It isn’t always the case that those with diabetic retinopathy will not be allowed to drive, which is why an eye examination is necessary.^5,6

Diabetic macular edema

This condition is a common association of diabetic retinopathy that can develop when fluid builds up in the macular (the central area of the retina). It can cause symptoms such as blurry and distorted vision, particularly when trying to focus on finer details. This could impact your ability to read road signs and identify hazards while driving. An eye test can help determine whether this condition impacts your visual acuity and check if you meet the visual standard for driving.

Blepharospasm

Blepharospasm is a neurological condition that can lead to uncontrollable blinking and eyelid spasms. These movements may occur frequently and can be severe for some people, sometimes causing the eyes to involuntarily close fully for short periods.

Because of this, blepharospasm may interfere with a person’s vision and can affect their ability to drive safely. This condition must be reported to the DVLA regardless of which vehicle type you drive.

Looking after your eyes

Properly looking after your eyes is essential for many reasons, from keeping the eyes healthy and clean to monitoring vision changes and managing any eye-related conditions you may have.

So, what actions can you take to help? Firstly, you should attend regular eye tests with your optician as frequently as they recommend. This will help keep track of any changes in your eye structures or vision, look for signs of eye conditions and monitor your general eye health.

You should also maintain a good eye care routine, including warming, cleansing and hydrating your eyes and eyelids. By incorporating this routine into your day-to-day, you can ensure your eyes are clean and well-lubricated, which may prevent certain eye-related conditions from developing, while also relieving any discomfort, irritation or redness from any existing problems around the eyes. Additionally, adopting a healthy and nutritious diet can support your eye health while helping you maintain good general health.

If you have any eye health-related concerns, be sure to check out our conditions hub where you can learn more about different eye conditions.

Maintaining a good eye routine is key to healthy eyes. If you’re ever concerned about your eyes, speak to an eye care professional whether it’s your optician, doctor or pharmacist.

Sources:

Driving Eyesight Rules: DVLA
Visual disorders: Assessing fitness to drive: DVLA
Eye Conditions & Driving: DVLA
Eye Conditions & Driving – Bus, coach & lorry: DVLA
Bro T, Andersson J. The effects of visual-field loss from panretinal photocoagulation of proliferative diabetic retinopathy on performance in a driving simulator. Eye (Lond). 2023 Jan;37(1):103-108.
Diabetic retinopathy treatment: NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diabetic-retinopathy/treatment/#:~:text=You%20should%20be%20told%20about,floating%20in%20your%20vision%20(floaters)