Laser and driving

[daisymj14]

Hi everyone!
I've had a week without the forum due to waiting for a new phone but boy am I glad to be back!

I've read loads on the internet about laser treatment for macular edema but there's a few things I'm hoping someone can help me with. I'm due to have treatment next week.

I'm an account manager who is in the car about 10 hours a day so need a few things cleared up as I have a company car and just trying to work out if I should be fine to return the next day.

It says not to drive for 24 hours after the treatment.. but it may take weeks for you to lose the blurred or spotted vision. Am I likely to be safe to drive after the 24 hours or will I just have to see how long it takes for my vision to return properly?

When do I need to speak to the DVLA?

Am I at risk of losing my license?

This will be my first treatment for quite a severe bleed really close to my retina that has got worse in the last year (diabetes is luckily better than it's ever been now due to a libre/change of insulin regime etc, unfortunately too little too late)

Thank you xx

 

[noblehead]

It says not to drive for 24 hours after the treatment.. but it may take weeks for you to lose the blurred or spotted vision. Am I likely to be safe to drive after the 24 hours or will I just have to see how long it takes for my vision to return properly?

Provided your eyesight has returned to normal and you can read a number plate at the required distance (just forget what it is) you should be fine, ask the Ophthalmologist when you attend the laser session.

When do I need to speak to the DVLA?

As far as I'm aware you have to notify the DVLA if the laser surgery is to both eyes, but again the Ophthalmologist will say whether this is right or wrong

Am I at risk of losing my license?

No not because your having laser treatment, I had laser treatment and still managed to keep my licence, but the DVLA do request that you attend a field vision test and depending on the results they'll make a decision to allow you to drive or not.

When I renewed my licence 3 years ago they didn't request a field vision test but had the previous times, I think this because I'd not had any issues with retinopathy for a number of years and my eye sight tests were normal so there was no cause for concern.

.

 

[steve_p6]

Provided your eyesight has returned to normal and you can read a number plate at the required distance (just forget what it is) you should be fine, ask the Ophthalmologist when you attend the laser session.



As far as I'm aware you have to notify the DVLA if the laser surgery is to both eyes, but again the Ophthalmologist will say whether this is right or wrong



No not because your having laser treatment, I had laser treatment and still managed to keep my licence, but the DVLA do request that you attend a field vision test and depending on the results they'll make a decision to allow you to drive or not.

When I renewed my licence 3 years ago they didn't request a field vision test but had the previous times, I think this because I'd not had any issues with retinopathy for a number of years and my eye sight tests were normal so there was no cause for concern.

.

I just renewed my licence too and didn't need to redo the sight test presumably also as i've had no new laser the last three years.

 

[noblehead]

I just renewed my licence too and didn't need to redo the sight test presumably also as i've had no new laser the last three years.

That's good news @steve_p6 , I've to renew my licence again in May so hoping it will be the same as last time.

Can I ask if there was any delays with renewing your licence or was it quite a speedy process?

 

[steve_p6]

That's good news @steve_p6 , I've to renew my licence again in May so hoping it will be the same as last time.

Can I ask if there was any delays with renewing your licence or was it quite a speedy process?

@noblehead no delay that I noticed, just bashed through the forms and licence came back within a few weeks. You are also still legal to drive even if your licence has expired as long as you have submitted the forms.

 

[noblehead]

@noblehead no delay that I noticed, just bashed through the forms and licence came back within a few weeks. You are also still legal to drive even if your licence has expired as long as you have submitted the forms.

Thank you for the reply.

Yes you can continue to drive unless told otherwise, the last time I renewed the application took around 6-7 weeks, it was nearing the time that my licence was due to expire so rang the DVLA and checked if I could still drive if my new licence didn't come through in time.