Here’s a question for the driver who’s had his or her licence for a long time.
I’ve had laser surgery in both eyes.
This was for medical reasons and not for eye correction.
Because of this DVLA have said I have to sit for a Depth of Field test as well as the standard Snellen test.
The surgery was successful but it’s come at a time when my Cat 2 is up for renewal.
My eyes are improving a hell of a lot after the surgery but I might struggle to make the standard until everything calms down.
My optician mentioned Grandfather Rights.
What is this and can it apply in my case?
I’ve held a Class One since March 1991.
I thought if eyesight isn’t quite met (I can make most out but confuse a D with an O) the licence is revoked.
Never heard of Grandfather Rights.
Can anyone shed any light onto this?
My employer are being fantastic and I have their full support.
The keys may be hung up for a while.
Thanks in advance.
I think you’re right and the optician is confused. You’re supposed to meet the standards in force at all times.
Will you pass a LGV medical and the eyesight test? If so then the fact you currently have an issue resolving the difference between an O and D probably isn’t the end of the world. I would imagine given how slowly your eyesight deteriorates that there are a lot of drivers out there who don’t meet the standards without the need of glasses but are not yet to the point where it’s dangerous. I’ve had reading glasses for a couple of years now, truth is after getting them and realising how bad my eyesight was I really needed them 5 years ago. Certainly thinking back to when I went back to electronics engineering in 2017 focussing on close in work, such as what I was soldering, was a real issue. For some reason at the time it never occurred to me to get glasses because in my head as I could focus on stuff miles away there was nothing wrong.
"Grandfather rights"was something that happened when HGV Licence and HGV tests were first introduced, back in the 70s. If you could prove you had been driving HGV vehicles 6 months out of the previous 12 months prior to the Licence coming into effect then you could claim "Grandfather rights" Now I maybe wrong but that does not apply these days. As for eye tests if you cant for whatever reason meet the required standard,then its a no no.
Depth of field test is to test width of vision you have not just forward but what you can focus left or right,same as someone who has Glaucoma its a DVLA not notifiable condition
Thanks for clearing that up fellas.
My eyesight is diabetic retinotherapy.
The laser was a success but it’s left distance vision a bit blurred.
Whether it’s something that will improve to standard remans to be seen.
No pun intended.
Thanks again.
lolipop:
"Grandfather rights"was something that happened when HGV Licence and HGV tests were first introduced, back in the 70`s.
If you could prove you had been driving HGV vehicles 6 months out of the previous 12 months prior to the Licence coming into effect then you could claim “Grandfather rights”
Now I maybe wrong but that does not apply these days.
I seem to recall that there are different requirements for eyesight standards depending on when someone got their first HGV licence.
Harry Monk:
lolipop:
"Grandfather rights"was something that happened when HGV Licence and HGV tests were first introduced, back in the 70`s.
If you could prove you had been driving HGV vehicles 6 months out of the previous 12 months prior to the Licence coming into effect then you could claim “Grandfather rights”
Now I maybe wrong but that does not apply these days.I seem to recall that there are different requirements for eyesight standards depending on when someone got their first HGV licence.
Yes you are correct Harry Monk
Group 2 licence held on 31 December 1996
• have a corrected visual acuity of at least 6/9 (decimal
Snellen equivalent 0.6) in the better eye and 6/12
(decimal Snellen equivalent 0.5) in the worse eye, and
• an uncorrected visual acuity of 3/60 (decimal Snellen
equivalent 0.05) in at least one eye
Group 2 licence held on 1 March 1992
• you have a corrected visual acuity of at least 6/12
(decimal Snellen equivalent 0.5) using both eyes together
• have an uncorrected visual acuity of at least 3/60
(decimal Snellen equivalent 0.05) in at least one eye
• you will also need to complete a certificate about your
recent Group 2 driving experience, DVLA will send this
certificate for you to fill in once they get a valid application
You will not be able to apply for any new lorry or bus
entitlements that you have not previously held.
Montsoreau:
Harry Monk:
lolipop:
"Grandfather rights"was something that happened when HGV Licence and HGV tests were first introduced, back in the 70`s.
If you could prove you had been driving HGV vehicles 6 months out of the previous 12 months prior to the Licence coming into effect then you could claim “Grandfather rights”
Now I maybe wrong but that does not apply these days.I seem to recall that there are different requirements for eyesight standards depending on when someone got their first HGV licence.
Yes you are correct Harry Monk
Group 2 licence held on 31 December 1996
• have a corrected visual acuity of at least 6/9 (decimal
Snellen equivalent 0.6) in the better eye and 6/12
(decimal Snellen equivalent 0.5) in the worse eye, and
• an uncorrected visual acuity of 3/60 (decimal Snellen
equivalent 0.05) in at least one eye
Group 2 licence held on 1 March 1992
• you have a corrected visual acuity of at least 6/12
(decimal Snellen equivalent 0.5) using both eyes together
• have an uncorrected visual acuity of at least 3/60
(decimal Snellen equivalent 0.05) in at least one eye
• you will also need to complete a certificate about your
recent Group 2 driving experience, DVLA will send this
certificate for you to fill in once they get a valid application
You will not be able to apply for any new lorry or bus
entitlements that you have not previously held.
That’s interesting.
I got my Class One in 1991.
So the eye test is slightly lower for a holder of a licence that long.
As I mentioned earlier I’m not far off but what you say here may be a life saver.
Thanks for your post.
I get my hgv on grandfathers rights I do not all the technical measurements but I know I could not get a license now but as I have had my license for 36 years it goes on grandfathers rights.My field of vision is really good it’s just I am very short sighted without glasses.I am 59 this year so a medical is needed next year my lorry is a 13 plate with over a million km’s on the clock I fancy a new one but it will not be replaced till I have passed my medical