I am trying to help a friend by posting this topic, he is a owner driver had been near 25year, in 2008 he was told he had a tumor and the only way they could get at it was through his eye resulting in the loss of his right eye. This led to dvla taking his hgv licence and his livleyhood, he is still fighting his illness and the dvla . The dvla say anyone with a loss of a eye from 1991 onwards has their licence taken away in a matter of words. We are hoping someone knows if he was able to take his test elswhere in the EU how would he stand?
Erm, there are other ways to make a living. Why does your friend need to carry on driving?
He doesnt need to he wants to, he worked hard to get a good name and good customers, he could sit at home and claim benefits but he wants to carry on earning a living. Thanks for the helpful reply thou
My mrs has had no sight in her left eye since the age of two, after a lot of two and throwing with DVLA and the help of a ophthalmic surgeon we managed to get her a licence in 1990,we also found out if it had been the right eye that there would have been no chance at all, on her licence is a restriction that only allows her to drive right hand drive cars, something to do with field of vision.
Eyesight
All drivers must be able to read in good daylight a number plate at 20.5 metres (67 feet), if
you need glasses or corrective lenses to do this, these must be worn whilst driving.
Applicants for LGV and PCV categories must also have;
- A visual acuity of at least 6/9 in the better eye;
- A visual acuity of at least 6/12 in the worse eye; and
- If these are achieved by correction, the uncorrected visual in each eye must be no
worse than 3/60.
Your application will be refused if you have - Uncontrolled diplopia (double vision)
- Or do not have a normal binocular field of vision.
Dave the Renegade:
Eyesight
All drivers must be able to read in good daylight a number plate at 20.5 metres (67 feet), if
you need glasses or corrective lenses to do this, these must be worn whilst driving.
Applicants for LGV and PCV categories must also have;
- A visual acuity of at least 6/9 in the better eye;
- A visual acuity of at least 6/12 in the worse eye; and
- If these are achieved by correction, the uncorrected visual in each eye must be no
worse than 3/60.
Your application will be refused if you have- Uncontrolled diplopia (double vision)
- Or do not have a normal binocular field of vision.
I think this says it all Dave, I know the brain compensates for the loss of vision in one eye but is seems truck driving is out, the binocular field of vision is the important one here I think.
brados:
Dave the Renegade:
Eyesight
All drivers must be able to read in good daylight a number plate at 20.5 metres (67 feet), if
you need glasses or corrective lenses to do this, these must be worn whilst driving.
Applicants for LGV and PCV categories must also have;
- A visual acuity of at least 6/9 in the better eye;
- A visual acuity of at least 6/12 in the worse eye; and
- If these are achieved by correction, the uncorrected visual in each eye must be no
worse than 3/60.
Your application will be refused if you have- Uncontrolled diplopia (double vision)
- Or do not have a normal binocular field of vision.
I think this says it all Dave, I know the brain compensates for the loss of vision in one eye but is seems truck driving is out, the binocular field of vision is the important one here I think.
I was a lorry driver when the HGV licence was introduced in 1969/70 brados, and the medical requirements were exactly the same then concerning eyesight. I remember a couple of drivers that I had worked with, who had to pack it in, as they only had sight in one eye.
Cheers Dave.
Its a pity really when its something that you have built up over the years, none of us know what’s around the corner.
I did work with an old paddy on the opencast years back and his landrover only had one headlight working, turns out he only had one eye too - seriously he said he didn’t need two headlights … 
true story.
Dave the Renegade:
brados:
Dave the Renegade:
Eyesight
All drivers must be able to read in good daylight a number plate at 20.5 metres (67 feet), if
you need glasses or corrective lenses to do this, these must be worn whilst driving.
Applicants for LGV and PCV categories must also have;
- A visual acuity of at least 6/9 in the better eye;
- A visual acuity of at least 6/12 in the worse eye; and
- If these are achieved by correction, the uncorrected visual in each eye must be no
worse than 3/60.
Your application will be refused if you have- Uncontrolled diplopia (double vision)
- Or do not have a normal binocular field of vision.
I think this says it all Dave, I know the brain compensates for the loss of vision in one eye but is seems truck driving is out, the binocular field of vision is the important one here I think.
I was a lorry driver when the HGV licence was introduced in 1969/70 brados, and the medical requirements were exactly the same then concerning eyesight. I remember a couple of drivers that I had worked with, who had to pack it in, as they only had sight in one eye.
Cheers Dave.
That can’t be entirely true, I used to work with a guy in the late 80s who only had 1 eye, and incidentally like what some one has already said, there are exceptions to the current rules, it is still possible to hold a HGV licence with 1 eye!
I would say because it’s a recent thing, he could be wasting his time fighting the DVLA!
It is hard when you have to give your job up through illness or injury. I can empathise with the driver who is facing the loss of his LGV licence. I had a bad RTA years ago which finished my lorry driving, a job that I loved. I have kept in the loop by passing my CPC’s and working as a part-time TM.
Cheers Dave.
weeto:
Dave the Renegade:
brados:
Dave the Renegade:
Eyesight
All drivers must be able to read in good daylight a number plate at 20.5 metres (67 feet), if
you need glasses or corrective lenses to do this, these must be worn whilst driving.
Applicants for LGV and PCV categories must also have;
- A visual acuity of at least 6/9 in the better eye;
- A visual acuity of at least 6/12 in the worse eye; and
- If these are achieved by correction, the uncorrected visual in each eye must be no
worse than 3/60.
Your application will be refused if you have- Uncontrolled diplopia (double vision)
- Or do not have a normal binocular field of vision.
I think this says it all Dave, I know the brain compensates for the loss of vision in one eye but is seems truck driving is out, the binocular field of vision is the important one here I think.
I was a lorry driver when the HGV licence was introduced in 1969/70 brados, and the medical requirements were exactly the same then concerning eyesight. I remember a couple of drivers that I had worked with, who had to pack it in, as they only had sight in one eye.
Cheers Dave.That can’t be entirely true, I used to work with a guy in the late 80s who only had 1 eye, and incidentally like what some one has already said, there are exceptions to the current rules, it is still possible to hold a HGV licence with 1 eye!
I would say because it’s a recent thing, he could be wasting his time fighting the DVLA!
I know blokes that got around the eyesight requirements by memorising the test card at the Doctors,but that won’t happen these days,as the test is requires more than just reading a card.
I know someone who is driving now with one eye!
i have had problems with my left eye after a blood vessel burst in there, i have been left with minor visual acuity but i when i came to apply for my 45th birthday medical i dug this up on the net.
MOTOR VEHICLES(DRIVING LICENCES) REGULATIONS 1996.
Disabilities prescribed in respect of Group 2 licences
68.–(1) There is prescribed for the purposes of section 92(2) of the Traffic Act as a relevant disability in relation to an applicant for, or a person who holds, a Group 2 licence, the inability to read in good light (with the aid of corrective lenses if necessary) a registration mark fixed to a motor vehicle and containing letters and figures 79.4 millimetres high at a distance of 20.5 metres.
(2) There is also prescribed for the purposes of section 92(2) of the Traffic Act as a relevant disability in relation to a person other than an excepted licence holder who is an applicant for or who holds a Group 2 licence, such abnormality of sight in one or both eyes that he cannot meet the relevant standard of visual acuity.
(3) The relevant standard of visual acuity for the purposes of paragraph (2) means–
(a)in the case of a person who–
(i)was the holder of a valid Group 2 or obsolete vocational licence upon each relevant date specified in column (1) of Table 1 at the end of this regulation, and
(ii)if he is an applicant for a Group 2 licence, satisfies the Secretary of State that he has had adequate recent driving experience and has not during the period of 10 years immediately before the date of the application been involved in any road accident in which his defective eyesight was a contributory factor,
the standard prescribed in relation to him in column (2) of Table 1;
(b)in the case of a person who–
(i)does not fall within sub-paragraph (a), and
(ii)was or is the holder of a valid Group 2 licence upon the relevant date specified in column (1) of Table 2 at the end of this regulation,
the standard prescribed in relation to him in column (2) of Table 2;
(c)in the case of any other person, a standard of visual acuity (with the aid of corrective lenses if necessary) of at least 6/9 in the better eye and at least 6/12 in the worse eye and, if corrective lenses are worn, an uncorrected acuity of at least 3/60 in both eyes.
(4) There is prescribed in relation to a person–
(a)to whom paragraph (3)(c) applies, and
(b)who is able to meet the relevant standard of visual acuity prescribed in that sub-paragraph only with the aid of corrective lenses,
poor toleration of the correction made by the lenses.
(5) There is prescribed for the purposes of section 92(2) as a relevant disability in relation to a person who is an applicant for or who holds a Group 2 licence, sight in only one eye unless–
(a)he held an obsolete vocational licence on 1st April 1991, the traffic commissioner who granted the last such licence knew of the disability before 1st January 1991, and–
(i)in a case of a person who also held such a licence on 1st January 1983, the visual acuity in his sighted eye is no worse than 6/12, or
(ii)in any other case, the visual acuity in his sighted eye is no worse than 6/9, and
if he is an applicant for a Group 2 licence, he satisfies the Secretary of State that he has had adequate recent driving experience and has not during the period of 10 years immediately before the date of the application been involved in any road accident in which his defective eyesight was a contributory factor; or
(b)the person is an excepted licence holder
I was lucky as i had passed my class one in 1987, this regulation is applicable to drivers who have driven prior to april 1991.
i know it may not be suitable for your mate but you never know.
Thanks for all replys. I think he will have to come to terms with losing his licence
You also have to be able to pass a field test if you have had problems with your eyes like I have. When you inform the DVLA they ask you to go to a DVLA registered opticians to do a field test where they church the vision field in both eyes at the same time.
Funny thing is, you don’t have to do this when you pass you HGV Licence and have the medical or you when you have a medical every 5 years, you only have to be able to read the snellen chart.
att:
I know someone who is driving now with one eye!
Is it Johnnie Cyclopshead ■■? 
My friend Sam is an airline Captain for Jet2 flying B737s all over Europe and he passes his CAA medical no problem and is blind in one eye.
A friend of mine lost an eye in the late 70’s adjusting a trailer hand brake cable, it snapped and took his left eye with it. The DVLA then took his license to rub salt into the wounds so he worked as a mobile fitter from then on.
Maybe it could pay to put a driver behind the wheel, but depends on the rates for the work. Just one other question, with a driver in that predicament, would DVLA also take away the right to drive a car.