Jo Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 In the UK I can legally drive without glasses as I pass the minimum required level, however in Germany my eyesight doesn't meet their minimum standards and my German licence is marked "cannot drive without glasses" does anyone know whether the French standard is nearer the UK's or Germany's? I don't currently have glasses for anything except reading as the optician has said my eyesight doesn't really warrant it, but they would be willing to make me a pair to make up the small deficit if the French law required it.[blink] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRoss Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 I was told that as I wear glasses normally I must wear them when driving. In fact my licence, French, has a note on the back saying "Dispositif de correction vision" and my photo shows me wearing glasses so I wear them. Mind you I would not want to meet me on the road if I were not wearing them!.....................................JRPS I would have thought that if you drive on a German licence which has similar wording then you might be in trouble if you were not wearing them in the case of an accident or a papers check. Maybe you should ask at your local préfecture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 Jo you need a minimum visual acuity of 5/10 (which I think equates to 10/20 on the UK scale) for a French driving license, if you only meet this with glasses than they must be worn and the license will be endorsed acordingly.I lost the sight of one eye and have had many operations since, there is a second category which at the time I fell into: if one eye is blind or has less than 1/20 then the requirement for the other eye becomes 6/10.http://www.snof.org/vue/permis-conduire.pdfAt my last eye test the eye had recovered to somewhere near 5/10 but with an extremely narrow field of vision, it was/is my goal to reach the 5/10, perhaps I am already there. What frightens me though is how poor that vision is compared to my good(ish) eye, it scares me rather that there are other drivers out there with that level of eyesight, although they will have a better field of vision (with me it is like a telescope) and I am sure that they drive safely within their reduced capabilities as I now have to.I used to be a relatively accomplished racing driver and was always the one to do the night stints in 24 hour races as my night vision was much better than the other team members even those that could lap faster than me in day conditions, recently an old friend and fellow competitor forceably "encouraged" me to go karting with him to get back in the saddle as it were, I had always been faster than him in karts. This time he lapped me within 3 laps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 [quote user="Chancer"] What frightens me though is how poor that vision is compared to my good(ish) eye, it scares me rather that there are other drivers out there with that level of eyesight, although they will have a better field of vision....[/quote]]What frightens me also is the number of people who may be driving with defective vision, not knowing that it is defective. I once said that to an optician in the UK when checking if I was OK to drive, and I said, well at least I know that my eyesight is the best we can get (very myopic, I've worn glasses since I was three years old and have them tested every year) whereas there are those who do not realise how much their vision has deriorated etc). He agreed - if you've never worn glasses or had your eyes checked, I asked, how do yoou know your sight has deteriorated? It seems that people do drive without knowing they are not seeing properly! Very worrying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRoss Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 Vision is weird. We have ours checked every two years here in France. I have found you can go for years with little change and then all of a sudden it changes a lot for no obvious reason..............................JR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 Night vision is important too. I've more or less stopped driving in the dark now as my eyes seem to be slow to adjust to changes in light level. eg ok when there are street lights, but when they stop, I'm confused for a short time. Then someone coming the other way dazzles me again.I don't know if you can be tested for this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 You are right Judith but when vision gradually deteriorates then we automatically compensate by driving slower, I find that is is especially noticeable at night, mind you most people drive less and less at night once they get to the age when their vision deteriorates.These people may not necessarily be unsafe but would find driving far easier and less stress if they had an eyetest and started wearig glasses while driving.My sisters are around 10 years older than me, one used to be a (too) fast driver, one night she drove me at what was to me a snails pace and she was actually holding up and frustrating the traffic, it was so unsusual for her that I suggested an eyetest.Now she drives nearly as fast as before and I am not coninced that she is safer, quite the opposite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo Posted November 22, 2009 Author Share Posted November 22, 2009 Thanks for the figures Chancer, now I know what to ask for I will go back to the optician, from what I can remember of our conversation I meet those requirements.[:)] Patf, don't know about a test for night vision, but I do remember an optician advertising night vision glasses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hakunamatata Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Hello again Chancer,I have found that my friends, who do not have the sight problems that I have, are all now wary of driving at night. I think the new headlights are a lot to blame but we will never change that. My specialist has given me permission to drive, as you may remember, by day but not by night, which is fine by me. I cant wait to get my glasses next week then I am off to the garden centre for a long look, by myself, without having to rush. Be grateful for small mercies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 I modified my own headlights and on the CT test machine they are 100%, for me the biggest problem is the lack of catseyes, lack of white lines especially at the sides of most main roads, the white paint used not being reflective and viewed obliquely in wet weather is virtually invisible, and finally the lack of kerbs etc deliniating the edge of the roads and the muddy verges.Although my longsightedness must play a part I am totally comfortable driving at night in the worst conditions in the UK even with headlights set the wrong way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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