Do you drive?

[jayboi2005]

I am turning 17 this year, and have always wondered whther or not I will be able to drive. I am a car fanatic so I would be really disappointed if my eyes restricted my driving! I intend to ask more about it at my next hospital appointment.

you sound like me, i had a driving lesson for my Birthday. Talk about fun i had a great time and nearly died when i was asked to read the number plate. i think i could if i squint so i presume that is as good as a pass because i don't think the rules say you must not squint.

this is why if people hae read my other thread you will know why i really want some lenses because it will make a big difference to me.

[Asif]

when i was 17 i was at the stage where i could wear glasses but 6 months later they didnt really make a difference at all. After that I was strugling to get good vision and wasnt wearing contacts at the time. My poor eyesight did affect my driving so I stopped until i started wearing contact lenses. As I could not tolerate my first corneal rgps for more than a few hours I wouldnt drive for more than about 30 mins and stayed close to where i live incase something would happen with my lenses. When I was 19 I got a decent set of lenses I was comfortable with so started driving normally but less so at night as oncoming headlights really get annoying.

[Andrew MacLean]

Amarpal

Gareth seems not only to have been able to drive but also to enjoy motor sport with KC, so while I was getting out of a flying aircraft he was hurtling around a race track at dangerous speed!

with good management, most Keratoconics manage to live full and active lives, doing all the things that people witout KC wish they had tried!

good to see you, welcome to the forum

Andrew

[Amarpal]

Yeh, sure the driving will be fine!
And thanks for the warm welcome!

[jayuk]

Hi

I have also had to face the trials and tribs of not driving! I HAVE to drive if I want to work where I do, as its a total 180 mile journey for me.

I had spent around 12 months only driving with one lens and effectively one eye.......whilst my other eye was healing from a hydrop episode. Its amazing how quick the brain adapts and makes up!

I think that as long as you can get 6/12 as a minimum (or 6/10 isnt it) and you feel comfortable and safe driving than I cant see there being issues...BUT on the other side you need to be in control and realistic and should you feel that your vision isnt up to scratch..DONT take the risk....as it really isnt worth putting others at risk

J

[Sweet]

I believe it is 6/12 or more if you drive a HGV

Sweet X x X

[jayboi2005]

i feel my vision is fine to DRIVE. what i find unfair to me is when i was asked to read the number plate it was anestimated guess of 20 meters. that wouldnt matter so most but to me and proberly other KC people it does. it was about 25 meters that i was asked and the car was moving, i thought it was a joke at first LOL.

[Sweet]

Hehe the first time i was asked to read a number plate was kinda funny. The examiner asked me very nicely to please read the number plate on the blue car on the opposite side of the road and i did. He was happy with that and was about to walk off, but then i thought i should do the right thing before he found out anyway and admitted that the car he had commented on about good parking even with L plates and asked me to read was in fact mine!! LOL!

The only thing he could say amongst laughing was if i parked like that on my test i would definately pass, and that he always wondered what would happen if he picked someone's car who was about to take their test, but after four years hadn't done that before! An hour later and i was told that i had passed! First person to pass in my village in the year 2000, so i will always remember the date!!!! And i hasten to add ... three boys failed before me .... awwww!!!

[GarethB]

Jayboi,

I felt fine to drive, but was not until I got back from Germany that I was way below the legal limit of 6/12. As said earlier, if you were to have an accident and your sight was below 6/12 your fault or not, your insurance will refuse to pay anything and it could cost you.

6/9 is the limit for public service vehicles (buses) and heavy goods vehicles. It is under discussion regarding bring in the ordinary motorist to fall in line with bus and lorry drivers.

The best way to see if you can drive is to make an appointment at the test centre who can do a proper test to see if you can read a number plate. A driving examiner or instructor will ask you to read a number plate at 20 meters and it will always be a stationary vehicle. Most look for cars at a certain point they know from experiance is close to 20 meters.

[Prue B]

I never gave up driving, I just spent a lot of time in the passenger seat whilst my siblings were learners. When I got to the stage i could not read street signs, I stopped driving to places i did not know. I used to love driving at night because there were white reflectors on one side of the road and red on the other, if I kept between those I stayed on the road. I used to close my eyes when the galre from oncoming traffic was too bright, but that was only for a second, and never put my lights on highbeam because I could not see that far.
If pulled over cops were happy because I was wearing glasses. I live in the country, but possibly was a danger on the roads. Had no accidents though, maybe someone was watching over me.