For those of you with Birdshot, who want to remain driving, you do need to be sure that your eyesight is good enough to keep you and others safe. The usual test that your consultant will perform to ensure this is the Snellen chart (reading black letters on a white chart) – with glasses if you wear them – and a field test which will check your central and peripheral vision as well as your reaction time.

You will also need to check your driving insurance – most insurers require you to inform them of any change of circumstance, including any diagnosis of a medical condition. If your insurance company requires this and you do not comply, you may find that you are not covered in the event of an accident.

Having said this, many of us can pass the Snellen chart test and the Field Test with relative ease, but may still have some difficulty driving at night – particularly if there is glare from oncoming traffic. Yellow tinted glasses often help with glare (you can buy these from numerous websites on the internet). But you also need to use common sense and your own understanding of the limitations of your eyesight and visual acuity, and difficulties you have when there is too great contrast or too little contrast.

Here is the link to  the Direct Gov website so you can see what the official website  says on the subject of notifying the DVLA about a disability.

Rea